


Her Subject's Love

by ahunmaster, TheBigLoserQueen



Series: Experiment AU [13]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Animal Traits, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Experimentation, F/M, Het, Human, Hurt/Comfort, Hybrids, Language, Mild Sexual Content, Minor Violence, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, One-Sided Attraction, Rape/Non-con Elements, Science Experiments, Sneaking Around
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-16 18:24:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4635588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahunmaster/pseuds/ahunmaster, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBigLoserQueen/pseuds/TheBigLoserQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the gas explosion, Bloodshed has been unwilling to let his doctor go. And that only leads to misunderstandings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It had been two weeks since the explosion and no one had been able to coerce Experiment BL-00-D783D to get into a different containment unit without the scientist.  
  
The tiger-human hybrid had made it impossible for anyone to come inside, let alone close to the enforced window they could see each other through. All food and supplies and changes of clothing had to be delivered through the quarantine route, leaving Thornstriker to have to clean and feed the young male herself.  
  
Luckily for her, the experiment, or Bloodshed as his father had named him, allowed her some space that she was able to talk with female co-workers about the situation outside the containment unit she was stuck in. So far, the cleanup after that gas explosion had been going smoothly and they were getting Bloodshed's new containment unit ready. But they had had no luck on figuring out ways to separate her from the experiment.  
  
All previous attempts had failed, one even almost costing a guard his arm.  
  
Bloodshed refused to be separated from her for long periods and whenever they moved into a new room of the containment unit or elsewhere, he kept her close.  
  
It was groundbreaking having the experiment interact and co-exist with a human in his unit, but Thornstriker wasn't sure how much longer she could do this for. She had had little human contact except for the few attempts to separate her. Bloodshed tried to keep her happy with nuzzles and hugs and cuddles (it was hard to describe what the tiger hybrid was doing, so she just associated it to those), but she missed her brother. She missed her friends. She missed talking and being normal with her co-workers like she used to.  
  
She would have happily signed up for this if she had been given the choice... but being forced to do so after being hurt in that explosion? She really needed to see a doctor and get checked out. Basic scans had shown no internal bleeding or anything broken, but she seriously needed a more thorough check-up.  
  
She knew though that she wouldn't be going anywhere soon though. Sometimes, due to boredom, she would just sort of walk around the containment area. If she grew too close to the door of the unit, the experiment would promptly move his body in front of the door, thus blocking the way out.   
  
Much like he was now. Thornstriker had attempted to walk around a bit, growing bored and restless of sitting still, but had gotten too close to the exit. As always, Bloodshed was blocking the way, so she walked around again on the opposite side of the unit.   
  
She gave a small whine, reaching up to rub her eyes under her glasses. Primus, she really needed to get out of here. It wasn't as if she didn't like the experiment or anything... In fact, he was treating her rather kindly. Almost like a mother with her cub. It made her wonder if that was how Bloodshed saw her. She had no way of confirming that though.   
  
Still, she was just bored. And a bit lonely. Not to mention she still really needed to be looked over by a professional.    
  
Unbeknownst to her, the experiment was watching her very carefully as she walked around, giving another soft whine. He could tell that she was restless and the small sounds she made just made her watch her more intently.   
  
He knew this pattern of behavior. Just like with the other females he had been made to mate with sometimes. At first, she had been cautious when he had first kept her with him. But after the time they had been together, she no longer seemed afraid of him and didn't seem to hesitate when returning his affections. It made him excited and made his chest swell up, something he had not felt with the other females he had been forced to mate with.   
  
He was being patient. He wanted her to choose him so badly, every day hoping that the female would roll over on her stomach to give him the okay. But he did understand that this female, Thornstriker, was different than the females he lived with...  He had seen two guards mate in front of him before - human mating rituals were much different. But they somehow seemed familiar to him, though he wasn't sure why.   
  
Thornstriker whined again, sitting down on the floor. Bloodshed perked up and moved over to her, sensing that she was growing restless again. She just watched him as he sat down beside her, gently wrapping his arms around her to nuzzle her cheek.  
  
The scientist gave a soft laugh, reaching up to pet his head. Even though he wouldn't let her leave when she needed to, he was really a very sweet creature. When she started running her fingers through his hair, he gave a soft purr, making her give a small giggle.  
  
"Do you like that?" she asked playfully. Well, at least she wasn't bored now.    
  
His approving purr like sound was a good sign of it. They hadn't think he could purr because of half his genes being a large cat, but it had been a funny moment hearing him purr.  
  
Bloodshed was certain she was going to choose him. She was touching him and making him feel good. But she still hadn't moved to lie on her belly. Maybe she was scared? Some of the other females he was forced to mate with were scared too. Perhaps he needed to encourage her? Maybe kisses like those human guards had done?  
  
But he still didn't know how they worked, thus his attempt to 'kiss' her turned into more nuzzling and sloppy lickings.  
  
"Oh... hehe, silly Bloodshed. I guess you really do like that."  
  
Tap. Tap.  
  
Thornstriker looked over to the window. One of her co-workers, Melody, was at the window waving her to come over. Ah, it looked like they had gotten something done at that director's meeting.  
  
Wiggling out of the experiment's hug, the scientist got up and started to move over to the window to talk…  
  
… Until her ankle suddenly twisted out from under her.  
  
"Ah!" Thornstriker collapsed to the ground. "MMMmmmmppphhh~...." despite the pain, Thornstriker knew she could not do anything to upset Bloodshed.  
  
Bloodshed blinked when the female fell down. But before he could move to help her, he froze when he took in her position. No... She hadn't fallen down. She was... presenting herself to him. She was on her stomach, hands grasping at the ground. She made a soft moan. Just like the other females he had mated with had done.   
  
She approved of him, wanted him. Just like he wanted her. Finally, after waiting so long, after being so patient, Thornstriker had chosen him. She wanted him to mate with her, to be the father of their cubs. He felt his chest swell up, beyond happy about this.   
  
He would just have to assure her that he was the best choice out of all the males out there, including other human males.   
  
Thornstriker was unaware of the young male standing up behind her. She was too busy trying to get to her knees without the pain that she didn't notice her colleague now banging on the window until it was too late. "Wh-?"  
  
Clawed hands grabbed her wrists. Then a body covered hers.  
  
The scientist looked up to see Bloodshed smiling as her before he nuzzled into her hair. "Aaa... B-Bloodshed... I-I'm fine... B-B-But this isn't the time to play-"  
  
He didn't stop as his body pinned her to the ground, the pain from her ankle hurting even more. She could hear Melody screaming and pounding at the window.  
  
What in the world was he-?  
  
She suddenly felt something poke her in her rear. As her mouth fell open and trembled in fear, teeth bared themselves against her as his hot breath bared down on her skin.  
  
Oh Primus... oh Primus, she had only seen him do this once before. The one time she chose to be present for one of the breeding processes. This was what he did with the ocelot hybrid they had brought in.  
  
He... Bloodshed was trying to mate with her!  
  
Bloodshed was too wrapped up in his happiness that he didn't see the female at the window running away. His body was hot, ready to be inside this female and give her babies. He had had no luck with those other women he was forced to mate with, but he would do everything he could to ensure she had cubs.  
  
But as he started to hump against her backside, he noticed that she wasn't responding to it like the other females. He stopped, finally realizing that she was shaking. What was wrong? Why was she shaking? She had chosen him, so why-?  
  
Oh... she must have been scared. Some of the females he had mated with had been scared too. It did take them a while to let him mate with them, but it sometimes helped when he did this to them.  
  
Thornstriker's jaw trembled even more when Bloodshed's head went into her neck again and began to nip at her neck. No… No! Bloodshed was going to mate with her! Even though she was twenty-seven and had had a boyfriend, she was still a virgin! Why?! Why was this happening?!  
  
She opened her mouth to protest, but no words would come out. She just lied there beneath the creature, trembling hard as he kept her pinned and nipped at the back of her neck. She wasn't even focused on the pain in her ankle anymore. She could still feel Bloodshed's huge thing poking at her rear, making her even more terrified.  
  
He couldn't have been serious... There was absolutely no way that would fit inside of her! She wasn't even a hybrid! Why would he want to mate with her anyway?!  
  
"A-AH?!" she cried out when his lips moved to her ear, nipping it. Her cheeks turned bright red when she realized what sort of sound she had just made. What the hell was she thinking?!  
  
Bloodshed, in contrast, purred in delight at the noise. He remembered when those two guards had mated in front of him. The female had a sound just like that and it meant that she was enjoying it. Which also probably meant that he could continue.  
  
Thornstriker gasped when she felt him hump and grind up against her again. No! No, this couldn't be happening! Wiggling under his grip, she felt his hands release her wrists, allowing her to try and pull herself away. But she realized in horror that his hands had simply moved to her hips, holding her against him and making escape impossible.  
  
Bloodshed let out a small, irritated noise when he realized that he couldn't push into her right away. Right... Humans wore fabric over their bodies. They had to be undressed. He couldn't understand why they needed to wear these things. Wasn't their hair and skin enough to keep them warm? Wanting to be inside of her, Bloodshed grabbed the light green leg fabric and pulled, easily tearing the cloth to expose her skin to him.  
  
Thornstriker froze up. Oh Primus... Oh Primus, he was ripping off her scrub! No, NO! She couldn't let him do this! She had to stop this!  
  
"N-No...!" she squeaked, trying to wiggle away from the hybrid. But she hadn't been loud enough, Bloodshed thinking she was just making noises as he ripped off her pants, throwing the shredded fabric off to the side.  
  
Then she felt his claws brush against her skin, making her shiver in fear. No... Oh, Primus no, he couldn't be doing this! There was no way this could be happening right now!  
  
And then she felt his fingers touch her underwear, making her realize that if she didn't do anything fast, he would force himself inside of her and mate with her.  
  
"S-STOP IT!" she screamed violently. The scream had thrown the creature off, allowing Thornstriker to turn over onto her back and push at his hands, but unable to crawl away when his claws instinctively closed around her trembling hands, keeping her to him.   
  
Bloodshed's body turned to ice as she watched her scream and pull at his hands. Wha-? Why... Why was she doing this? The other females had only pushed him away after he finished, so why? Was she not happy? Did she not know what to do when this happened? But she was crying.  
  
Maybe... maybe he had do what the guards did? Would she calm down? Perhaps she would want to continue mating like the human guards had. It would be nice since he would be able to see her that way.  
  
Thornstriker kept pushing, still struggling to get away or at least try to get him to stop.  But when his hand came up and pulled her towards him, she couldn't stop him from pressing his lips into hers...  
  
A loud bang suddenly filled the room. Before Bloodshed could turn to face the new threat, a smoking ball landed in front of them, filling the room around them with foul smelling smoke.  
  
Thornstriker fell to the floor as she began to cough. Bloodshed, whose nose was more powerful than a human's, nearly collapsed. The smoke burned his lungs and made his stomach roil.  
  
But there was an enemy. His instincts reacted immediately as he did the only thing he could do. He moved his body to cover the female. She was also coughing... the smoke had to be hurting her too-  
  
Something hard hit the side of his head. The force was so powerful that it sent him tumbling off the female and further into the room. Before he could gather his surroundings, a loud bang ripped through his ears causing him to howl as more smelly smoke was thrown at him.  
  
"Throw another flashbang!"  
  
"You idiot! You nearly hit Thornstriker!"  
  
"Get a mask for her!"  
  
"Damn it, don't throw any more of those! We can't kill him!"  
  
"Thornstriker!"  
  
Bloodshed couldn't make out the sounds these intruders were saying; he could barely hear them over the ringing in his ear and the smell was messing up his senses. He tried to crawl to where he thought she was when he felt something on top of him.  
  
Those hands... they were those guards! The ones who stopped him when he was angry or tried to get out! And the ones who had tried to take the female away from him. Why were they here?  
  
"Hold on, Thornstriker!"  
  
The experiment turned to where he heard the other guard's sound. That... there were where she was! No, he couldn't let them take her away like before!  
  
Bloodshed fought past his loss of balance and the guards on top of his as he ran to where the female had been... But he couldn't find her. The smoke was all he could smell. Where-?  
  
Something rattled the floor. He recognized it. It was what happened when they closed the door. Wait, they didn't-  
  
"Damn it, get the air going! We can't have him suffocate to death!"  
  
The smoke began to clear up. It was going up into those spaces he couldn't break into. He could finally see the room and-  
  
She wasn't here.  
  
He turned from side to side. Only four guards trying to get up. But where was she? Where was-!  
  
He found himself staring out the window into where those humans watched him from. There were the humans in white and the other guards. But-!  
  
Bloodshed's eyes dilated when he saw that white-haired guard and another female with someone. Someone covered by the white thing the human wore. Someone-  
  
Her.  
  
He rushed to the window, startling the humans who were watching him from it. He pounded at the window, trying to get her to look at him. No... no, she couldn't leave! She had chosen him! She wanted him to be the father of her cubs!  
  
No... she was getting further away. No, she couldn't go. She couldn't go.  
  
 _She couldn't leave him!_  
  
"THORNSTRIKER!!"  
  
Everyone seemed to freeze up, except for Thornstriker, who had jerked her head to look at the hybrid who had desperately shouted her name. He stared at her, eyes wide while panting hard, his hands smashed up against the window.  
  
Bloodshed... spoke. For everyone else, this was the first time hearing his voice. No one else believed that he could talk... But Thornstriker had only heard him speak once before. When she first woke up after the explosion.  
  
And he had said her name at that time too.  
  
Why? Why was he so desperate to have her near him? She couldn't understand why... He was just so... attached to her. And he even believed that she had wanted to mate with him! She wanted to know though. She so desperately wanted to understand the hybrid's actions, his reasoning. Not even for scientific reasons either. She just wanted to know what was going on inside of his head, what he wanted from her.  
  
"It... talks?"  
  
She blinked, looking up at her brother, who just stared at the creature in disgust.  
  
"How... How does it know your name?" he demanded, looking down at her. "You didn't teach it to speak..."  
  
"I-I don't know..." she whimpered, looking back at Bloodshed, who just continued to stare at her. She flinched at the experiment's expression. Primus... It hurt to look. He looked so... hurt. Angry. Desperate. There was this wild fury burning in his eyes as he stared at her, almost silently begging her to come back to him.   
  
She found herself wanting to, if only to keep him from making that agonized face.   
  
Airstream then gently grabbed her arm, moving closer to her as if to pick her up again. "Come on, I'll take you to the infirmary."  
  
"B-But Air-"  
  
"What?"  
  
She bit her tongue, looking back at Bloodshed. His eyes seemed to have a small glimmer of hope in them when she looked back at him. No... No, she couldn't go back. Bloodshed probably still wanted to mate with her and wanted her to have his cubs. She had finally gotten out after being made to live with the creature for two weeks. She needed to be looked over properly, especially now with her sprained ankle.   
  
She closed her eyes and turned away, shaking her head. "N-Nothing."  
  
Airstream nodded, moving to lift his baby sister up into his chest.  
  
Bloodshed felt like something had hit him hard in the chest. A bitter rage swelling up inside of him, his body tightening up as his claws started to carve into the glass, teeth clenching. No. No, she had hesitated. She had looked at him. She had wanted to come back! But now she was being taken away from him! He couldn't let this happen!  
  
He wouldn't let it happen!  
  
Bloodshed let out loud and rage-filled roar, raising up his arms and slamming down hard on the glass, breaking through the window. The guards and scientists by the window yelled out and fell backwards, attempting to hide their faces from the flying glass. Airstream's eyes widened when he turned around, seeing Bloodshed jump through the window and out of the containment unit.  
  
Shit. He was free.  
  
And currently his irate gaze was locked on him as he held his sister.   
  
Bloodshed panted hard, blood running down his arms, but he paid no mind to it. He looked at the male holding Thornstriker, who was staring at him in horror as she clung to her brother. The white-haired man set the woman down and pushed her behind him, pulling out a gun and pointing it at him.  
  
Thornstriker's eyes widened as she tried to grab onto Airstream's arm. "N-No! Ai-Airstream, don't! Don't kill him, please!"  
  
"Stay behind me, Thornstriker."  
  
"Airstream!"  
  
Bloodshed snarled and opened his mouth, hissing something out.  
  
Airstream stiffened before his face scrunched up in anger. Was it trying to talk again? "Speak, you filthy monster."   
  
"Give..."  
  
Thornstriker's eyes widened. Bloodshed... he was speaking... He was-  
  
"Give... Thornstriker... back..."  
  
This... This was impossible. The experiment had only been given a few lessons in speech before he had been brought here for study. Yes, the experiment's father had insisted on giving him a proper education, but they had been unable to progress to anything since the boy wouldn't cooperate!  
  
The scientists and the guards could not understand how the experiment had learn to speak this much. And what else it had possibly picked up...  
  
Airstream, on the other hand, couldn't fight back the anger that was boiling over. This thing... it had held his sister hostage for nearly two weeks, had tried to force itself on her, and now it wanted her back to finish the job. Like hell he'd let this freak near her!  
  
"You are not touching my sister ever again."  
  
That wasn't the right answer and Bloodshed did not hesitate to let the man know he was not happy with the response. "Thornstriker..."  
  
"Is going to a doctor to get the proper care she needs!" Airstream was just yelling at this point, his blind rage and the experiment's lack of understanding proper human care clashing. "You held her hostage, try to rape her, and then you dare demand her back like a toy?"  
  
"Give... Thornstrik-"  
  
 _"YOU ARE NEVER LAYING YOUR HANDS ON HER EVER AGAIN, YOU FUCKING ANIMAL!"_  
  
There was only so much patience Bloodshed had and being yelled at was all he could put up with from this guard who would not give him back Thornstriker.  
  
So of course, he responded as any angry half-human, half-tiger hybrid would do. He pounced and charged at the man's throat.  
  
"Airstream!"  
  
POW POW POW  
  
Sharp things stabbed into his back. Bloodshed recognized them as the cold pointy things the white-wearing humans put into him sometimes. But before he could turn his attention back to ripping this guard's throat out, his body collapsed.  
  
Wh-What? Bloodshed desperately tried to move his body. He couldn't get anything to move. It was so sluggish, so hard to concentrate. His eyesight began to diminish as guards and others began to restrain him.  
  
He could make out her image. She was still behind the guard, who had put away his gun to help her stand and walk away.  
  
No... no~  
  
"T-Th..."  
  
Thornstriker stared in shock as Bloodshed managed to bring his arm out from the guards on top of him to slowly reach for her.  
  
"T-Th...rnst... Thor..."  
  
It hurt. It hurt to watch this poor, innocent man fight the tranquilizers to reach for her. To beg for her. To put more stress on his body as his hand struggled to stretch out to her-  
  
She couldn't take it. She broke from her brother's grip to run, and then collapse from her twisted ankle, next to him to hold his hand. She knew the effects the tranquilizers could do to a body if one fought it for too long. She knew she couldn't bear to see him suffer anymore than he already had.  
  
Bloodshed had lost his mother. Bloodshed had lost a normal life. But she couldn't bear to see him lose him mind because of this place either.  
  
And as her brother placed his hand on her shoulder and as tears poured out of her eyes, she broke down when his eyes softened as he squeezed back before he let the drugs take him.  
  
Thornstriker cried herself dry as she was taken to the infirmary while Bloodshed was moved to a stronger containment area.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been nearly half a month since she had been separated from Bloodshed. Thornstriker was currently staying with her brother and his lover for the time being, as he didn't want her to stay at her apartment alone. She had been given paid leave so she would have time to recuperate both physically and mentally. Luckily, aside from a twisted ankle, she was perfectly fine. The explosion didn't seem to have done anything to her. The doctor had said it was probably because the experiment had used his body to shield her from the blast.  
  
Thornstriker hugged herself, leaning back into her chair. Bloodshed. Even though he had tried to force himself on her... She was still so worried about him and his condition. Airstream never talked about him. If she ever asked, he merely said, "You don't need to worry about him."  
  
But she did worry. Was he all right? Had he tried to escape again? Were they punishing him or hurting him? She prayed not. Bloodshed hadn't done anything wrong... Yes, he had attempted to mate with her, but he didn't know better. She had presented herself before him on accident. Of course he would think wrongly.  
  
It wasn't as if she was traumatized by it or anything... And being forced to stay with him for those two weeks hadn't been that bad either. Bloodshed had never hurt her, not once. He just... wanted to protect her.  
  
She rubbed the back of her neck. She wondered if she would ever get to work with him again. From what her co-workers had told her, the directors had been talking about moving her to another unit or another project altogether. She hoped that they wouldn't. She enjoyed her work and wanted to stay - she had already made so much progress and didn't want to abandon her research.   
  
Airstream, of course, was completely for the idea of her switching projects, which made her a little mad. But she didn't want to argue with him, knowing that he only had her safety in mind.  
  
There was suddenly a knock on the door, making her perk up. It was only one in the afternoon... It couldn't have been the mailman, he didn't come around until three or four.   
  
Giving a small sigh, the young woman stood up and walked over to the front door. When she opened it, she wasn't expecting to see Bombrush, one of the directors of her research facility, to be standing there.  
  
Her eyes widened. "M-Mister Bombrush?"  
  
The older man gave a soft smile. "Good afternoon, Miss Thornstriker. How are you?"  
  
"I-I'm all right. You?"  
  
"I've been fine."  
  
"Oh..." Then she realized that they were still standing in the doorway. She coughed and stepped back, holding the door open. "W-Would you like to come in?"  
  
"Yes, thank you."   
  
The director stepped inside and walked into the hallway, allowing Thornstriker to close and lock the door. She furrowed her brows for a moment as she tried to think why Bombrush of all the directors would be here.   
  
Then again... He was Bloodshed's biological father. She didn't know how, but Bombrush had apparently fallen in love with Bloodshed's mother, who was also an experiment. From what she understood, Bloodshed didn't like his father much, though it appeared that Bombrush cared deeply about his son and had made several attempts - and was still trying - to liberate the young man from these experiments.   
  
"Is... there something I can do for you, Mister Bombrush?" Thornstriker asked as she moved into the living room with him.   
  
Bombrush's face saddened a bit, making her eyes widened. Oh no... Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong. With Bloodshed? Did something happen to him? She couldn’t help but to grow worried as Bombrush sat down on the couch, Thornstriker rushing to sit down on the chair across from him.  
  
“Mister Bombrush?”  
  
Bombrush bit his lip as he looked up at the young woman, who looked terribly concerned. He wasn't sure how to approach this... He knew what his son had almost done to her. It was why they had all given her a paid leave!   
  
"S-Sir?"  
  
"I-!" He had nearly blurted out something, but managed to compose himself to stop. "I... I am in... somewhat of a conundrum."  
  
"Con- Is Bloodshed all right?"  
  
Bombrush should have known he couldn't just skip around this. Even if he weren't in such a depressed mood, anyone would know it was about his son. Everyone knew his feelings towards his son.  
  
And it was also Thornstriker, one of the most passionate scientists on his son's case. Of course she would be concerned about Bloodshed.  
  
"He... my son hasn't... Bloodshed has not been coping well since... you left."  
  
"... What... do you mean not coping?"  
  
The older man sighed. "Bloodshed would not cooperate with anyone. He would attack anyone who tried to feed him or clean him. I know he kept trying to break his containment unit when he was put in... he broke a few bones trying to get out."  
  
He couldn't bring himself to look at the younger scientist when her hands clasped her mouth in horror.  
  
"About a week after everything happened, we were forced to enter his unit to restrain him and get him cleaned and proper treatment. He was giving us a struggle and we had to call for more guards... And your brother somehow came in with the back-up unit."  
  
Oh Primus. Airstream had been so mad at Bloodshed already. "H-He didn't-?"  
  
"I'm... The final report of the event wasn't specific, but apparently Airstream had tried to do something and Bloodshed tried to... attack him.  I-I don't know if your brother was just angry and doing his job or... trying to get revenge, but it was enough to get Bloodshed to get out from under seven guards and try to charge him."  
  
Thornstriker's eyes widened in horror. Bloodshed... had tried to kill Airstream? But... But he had never said anything about it! Surely Airstream would have told her something like that! Oh Primus, she could only imagine what her brother had done to make Bloodshed attack him... She knew they hated each other, but Bloodshed... He had tried to kill her brother...  
  
Seeing the poor woman trembling slightly in fear, Bombrush knew he needed to continue.   
  
"Bloodshed was restrained... as was your brother."  
  
"A-Airstream-?"  
  
"I do not believe anyone told you this, but Airstream had been ordered to not get involved with anything else involving my son until further notice. We found out he slipped into the back-up unit - switched out with a friend, I heard - when the alert went out that Bloodshed was causing trouble."  
  
Thornstriker couldn't believe what she was hearing. Airstream... had tried to get to Bloodshed against orders? But then... then that meant-  
  
"A-Airstream... He-! He wouldn't..."  
  
Bombrush didn't want to have to tell her this, but he knew he had to seeing as how the boy had not told his sister about it. "According to the report, Airstream had his weapon drawn after rubber bullets had already been used and Bloodshed was on the ground again. He was telling my son to stay down... or else he would be shoot."  
  
Thornstriker felt her blood turn to ice. Primus... Airstream had actually... he had ready to kill Bloodshed.  
  
"...Your brother was restrained after he refused to holster his weapon. And in the commotion to restrain them both, words had passed between the two. All that it says in the report is that my son... called out for you again and... Airstream told him you were never coming back."  
  
She froze, eyes widening as her mouth fell agape. Airstream... had said that? But... why? Why would he tell Bloodshed that? That wasn't even true! Yes, the directors were discussing moving her to a different project, but nothing had been confirmed!   
  
And Bloodshed... Primus, even though it already been three weeks, he was still hung up on her. He still wanted her to come back, to be with him. She didn't know if he still wanted to mate with her, but it was at least clear to her that he did want her back...  
  
"And Bloodshed has been doing even worse since then."  
  
Thornstriker blinked, looking to the older man.   
  
A dark, sullen look came over his face, his gaze falling to the floor as his hands clenched into fists. "Bloodshed... You know that his vocabulary and understanding of the English language is limited."  
  
"Y-Yes..."  
  
"... Even so, my son is not stupid," he murmured softly. "He... I can only assume that he understood what your brother told him. He believed him and really does think that you won't come back. That he will never see you again."  
  
"But that's not-!"  
  
"Even if it isn't true, Bloodshed believes it is... And I'm certain that he blames himself."  
  
Thornstriker blinked. Bloodshed blamed himself? Why? There was no reason for him to do so!  
  
Bombrush could see the confusion on the girl's face. Even though he was no scientist himself, he understood his son well enough to know what the boy was probably thinking. And even since he had gone to see him three days ago... He knew what the boy thought. Primus, he could still remember Bloodshed looking at him with those broken, hurt eyes. It pained him to remember, but he had to tell her. There was nothing else he could do.  
  
"Bloodshed... is aware that he had frightened you when he tried to mate with you," he explained. "I don't think he understands why you were scared, but he does know that you were and that it was because of what he did that he was separated from you."    
  
She slowly nodded, allowing him to continue.  
  
"Thornstriker, I... I can't say for certain and I don't think Bloodshed understand it himself, but... I believe that Bloodshed loves you. Dearly."  
  
Her eyes widened. Bloodshed... loved her? Her experiment was... in love with her? She knew that the hybrids were capable of feeling, but... love? It didn't seem possible, and yet...   
  
She looked to Bombrush. He had been with a hybrid too. Pixela. And from what she knew from reports and data, Pixela was always happy and excited whenever Bombrush came to visit her and eventually their son. She purred around him and snuggled up against him... And not because she wanted to mate. Certainly she had loved Bombrush just as he had loved her.   
  
But even if that was true, why did Bloodshed love her?   
  
"He... loves me?"  
  
Bombrush nodded. "I can't prove it, but... I just believe that he does. I can't find any other reason as to why he would force you to stay with him or try to break out to come find you... Or be in the depression he's in now."  
  
That caught her off guard. "Depression? What-?"  
  
"Since Airstream had told him that you weren't coming back... He blames himself. He believes that you're afraid of him and that's why you won't come back. He does nothing, Thornstriker. He just sits there in his cell in the corner. He doesn't eat. He doesn't move. He just... sits there with a broken expression on his face..."   
  
Primus.... Thornstriker couldn't stop her body from falling back into the chair. Her slumped expression didn’t do any justice for the raging madness of thoughts going through her mind.  
  
Bloodshed... loved her. He loved her. He loved her... to the point he wouldn't let anyone near her, break through triple-plated glass to get to her and... and be like this...   
  
He was dying... he was slowly fading away. She had seen reports and videos of past experiments who had done this... just let themselves die back when the experiments were worse then they were today. They had tried to keep some alive, but many had to be put out of their misery.  
  
There was no way... Bloodshed wasn't like that. He wouldn't- He wouldn't just give up like that!  
  
"He... He can't... Bloodshed-"  
  
"They're trying to help him.” He should have known - he had threatened them. “They've tried his favorite food, promises of a more open unit... I don't know how many things they've tried, but nothing's working. They've been forced to move him to treatment at night to give him fluids and nutrients via IV."  
  
"Oh Primus-!" Thornstriker turned away, shuddering at the thought of one of those poor creatures being kept alive by IV and machines, especially Bloodshed.  
  
"It's... It's just about the only thing keeping him alive now. It's gotten so bad that he's tried to resist getting help... so they have to restrain him to put the IV in and to make sure he doesn't try to pull it out."  
  
"Bloodshed... oh Bloodshed~" Tears were starting to leak from her eyes as she had to process those horrible images. The poor man, tied to a table and full of IVs, looking so lifeless and miserable. He... the experiments should never be forced to live like that. Even if it was an accident and trying to save their life, she couldn't... she couldn't bear to see anyone like that.  
  
"I-" Bombrush knew he needed to ask her to come back early. Or at least just stop by to see her son. Give him something to live for. Primus, it had taken all of his strength to see his son three days ago, unable to be there with his son in his emancipated state without breaking down. He didn't know if he could go back... until he had to when he had to see his son's corpse.  
  
He knew begging was one option, but if she couldn't bring herself to be near his son after what he had nearly done to her... Bombrush has one last option. Her brother.  
  
Airstream had gotten into a lot of trouble because of his stupid acts that day. He was disciplined and constantly monitored at work. Despite Bloodshed's actions, he was still important. And with his son like this and fading away, it was only a matter of time before they took more measures against Airstream. If his son... died... Airstream would not get off easy.  
  
He hoped he wouldn't have to use that fact to get Thornstriker's help.  
  
"Thornstriker... I know you went through a lot last month... and I cannot force you to suffer-"  
  
"Please-"  
  
Bombrush stopped his plea as Thornstriker spoke up, her hands gripping her knees.  
  
"Thorn-"  
  
"Please... Please let me see him."  
  
... Well that hadn't taken much.  
  
"W-Wait! I appreciate your kindness, but if you're not comfortable doing this..." What the hell was he saying? Thornstriker was practically throwing herself at him to save his son! He should be running back to the facility at this point!  
  
"I-I-I appreciate your concern, Mr. Bombrush, but... but this is a serious matter than I cannot separate myself from anymore."  
  
"Thorn-"  
  
"No!" she got up to scream at no one in particular. "No!  This... This is all my fault!"  
  
"Thornstriker, you are not to blame-"  
  
"I know! I know! But-" She began to shake in grief. "I'm the only one who can do anything about this. An innocent person is dying and I'm the only one who can do anything and all I've done is just sit around and moped like a coward and- and..."  
  
"Ah!" Bombrush got up and pulled out his handkerchief to try and comfort the now sobbing woman. "No, no, Thornstriker, this isn't your fault, don't cry."  
  
He gently wiped her tears away, trying to calm her down as best as he could. He didn't want the poor woman to cry. This wasn't her fault... It wasn't anyone's fault. Well, no, he did blame her brother, but he didn't want to say it aloud and upset the woman already more than she was. He needed her to calm down.  
  
"Thornstriker, it's all right, you're not to blame."  
  
"B-But I-!"  
  
He shook his head, wiping away the last of her tears. "Shh, it's all right. It's-"  
  
Suddenly his cell phone rang. Both of them looked down to his suit pocket, hearing it vibrate against the fabric. Bombrush huffed, murmuring a soft apology to the woman before stepping away from her, though leaving his handkerchief in her hands. He turned away from her and stepped out of the living room, answering his phone.  
  
Thornstriker sighed, dabbing at her eyes. Right... She couldn't cry. She needed to calm down. She couldn't cry like this. She wasn't the one who was suffering. Bloodshed was the one in pain, the one who needed help... She had to be strong. For him-  
  
" _You're doing what?!_ "  
  
Thornstriker jumped in fright at the voice. Bombrush?   
  
"You can't take him off! He'll die! He'll-!"  
  
Her eyes widened. Die? Oh no... It had to have been something about Bloodshed. She felt her stomach drop in fear, hugging herself tightly as she feared to know what the person on the phone was telling the director.  
  
"Then force feed him! Get stronger restraints! Keep him alive, you fucking-!"  
  
Force-feed?! No... No, they couldn't do that!  
  
"If you don't, he'll-! Yes, I heard you before, damn it! But you can't-!"  
  
Oh Primus, what was happening?!  
  
"Fine! Do what you want! But if he dies, I will see you fired!"  
  
She heard Bombrush hang up, swearing as he threw his phone down on the floor, breaking it. Her eyes widened as she jumped up from her seat, running over to the man. He had slumped against the wall, his hand buried into his face.  
  
"Mis-Mister Bombrush, what-?"  
  
"Bloodshed broke from the IVs... And nearly killed a scientist."  
  
She clasped her hands over her mouth in horror. No... No, he couldn't-  
  
"They're moving him into isolation. They're refusing to give him treatment now... They don't want to put anyone else at risk. Only guards are allowed to bring him food... And we both know he won't eat it."  
  
"But he'll die!" she cried. "I-If no one feeds him or cleans him, he-he'll die!"  
  
"They don't care."  
  
Thornstriker felt her head spin. No, no this couldn't be happening. Bloodshed would die. If she didn't do something, he would die! But if they moved him into isolation, she wouldn't be able to go see him... The guards wouldn't allow inside. He would never see her, he would think she hated him, and he would just waste away...  
  
"Mis-Mister Bomb-"  
  
"I have to go," he said suddenly, turning away from her. He had been too late. Bloodshed was moved in isolation. Thornstriker wouldn't be able to see him without approval from the head director, who wasn't even here at the moment. The only people who could get into the isolation were guards since they had the card-keys to get in.  
  
"I-I'm sorry-"  
  
"It's not your fault, Thornstriker... Please. Don't blame yourself."   
  
"B-But I...!"  
  
Bombrush didn't wait to hear the rest. He simply picked up his broken phone before walking out the house, leaving Thornstriker to stand there with tears starting to trickle down her face.   
  
No... No, Bloodshed... Bloodshed would die. And she would never be able to see him. She would never be able to explain that it was okay. That she didn't hate him. That Airstream had been lying...  
  
She couldn't stop herself from collapsing to her knees and crying hard into her hands, realizing that everything was now hopeless.


	3. Chapter 3

Thornstriker had locked herself into her room for the rest of the day, only coming out a few times to eat and shower. Both Airstream and Wheeljack were worried about her, but she had asked to be left alone, which they both respected even though they didn't know why she was so upset.   
  
As if she could tell them, especially Airstream. It would only make him angry... Which was why she hadn't mentioned that Bombrush had come by in the afternoon to talk to her about his son.   
  
Thornstriker was lying on her bed, curled up into a ball. She couldn't cry anymore, her tears having run dry a while ago. She glanced at the clock. It was already midnight... She wasn't even tired. But her chest was still tight with anguish.   
  
Bloodshed... He would die. He wasn't eating. He was blaming himself for her not seeing him, the hybrid thinking that she hated him. It wasn't true though! She didn't hate him. She could never hate him...  
  
Even though it was impossible, she had to see Bloodshed. She had to... But she couldn't. The only people who could see him now were people who got the head director's approval or guards. And getting the director's approval could take anywhere from one to two weeks... She couldn't be certain if Bloodshed would even be alive at that point.  
  
She stopped for a moment. Wait... Guards. Her brother was a guard. And... he had a card-key that had access to isolation.  Maybe she could ask him-  
  
No... No, if what Bombrush had said was true, then she couldn't ask her brother. Airstream had already been firm on his opinion about the experiment and with his actions that day... her brother could care less if Bloodshed died or not.  
  
Did he really hate him that much?  
  
Thornstriker shook her head. She would have to worry about her brother later. What mattered was that he probably would not want to help her if it meant her being near Bloodshed again.  
  
But she could still use his card-key to get to Bloodshed. Well, she could get inside just fine without it, but she would have to be careful to not be spotted while getting to the isolation unit.  
  
But could she do it? She was just a scientist, not some spy or thief who could sneak around such a facility.  
  
Her thoughts went back to Bloodshed, who was probably laying in isolation, wasting away to nothing over a misunderstanding and an angry brother.  
  
She had to, Thornstriker thought, she had to try. She was the only one who could save Bloodshed. She just had to get to him.  
  
But could she do that with just a card-key?  
  
Then she remembered something... wait, she could use that... and there was a way to get inside without being noticed.  
  
Thornstriker didn't hesitate as she got up and opened her door, listening for Airstream and his lover. They had gone to bed, it seemed. So she could grab her brother's card key and the other thing.  
  
There was a way to save Bloodshed. And she just had to make this work. She had to.

* * *

She couldn't believe that it had actually worked.  
  
When she had grabbed all she needed from the apartment and left for the facility, it suddenly dawned on her how stupid of an idea this was.  
  
After all, how was she suppose to sneak into a top-secret facility protecting hybrid experiments with just a card-key, her own card-key, and her brother's friend's old guard uniform?  
  
She thought she would have been caught when she swiped herself in at one of the lesser-used entrances. It was a gamble that security on this side was less strict since it wasn't anywhere near close to where the experiments were kept. She knew using her brother's would probably alert someone to keep an eye on him after what he had done almost a week and a half ago.  
  
Luckily, the guard only saw she was cleared and let her in. It seemed as if no one cared that someone on paid leave was coming back in the middle of the night. Yep, no red flags there, just let them move on by.  
  
So that part had been done. Then she just had to get to isolation without being seen by anyone she knew, get as close to isolation and then use Airstream's badge only at the last second to get to Bloodshed. There was no telling if Airstream's badge sent an alert to security or anything, so she had to use it only when she had no other choice.  
  
So once she went in her usual outfit as close as she could to the experiment area, then she snuck into a locker room to change. The small guard outfit was for a friend of Airstream's who had actually gotten training here for a job offering. He ended up taking another job and moving to the city it was in, but Airstream had held on to it. It was a godsend for her since there was no way she could fit into her brother's uniform.  
  
Still, it had been very loose on her seeing as she was petite to even a normally smallish statured man that Airstream's friend had been. Luckily, some rubber bands and rope were enough to get it to fit on her with some ease.  
  
And that was where she was now. She had managed to walk into the area just next to isolation without anyone paying attention to her. It was a bit concerning how she was getting this far without being questioned as a newcomer, but she could bring that up with the director later. Right now, she needed to get to Bloodshed.  
  
She finally entered the area just before isolation. This was going to be tough. She could get in, but she would have to find Bloodshed fast in case someone came by and-  
  
"Sigh~~~~~~~~"  
  
She nearly jumped out of her skin before she turned to see a sleepy eyed guard walking by with a plate of food.  
  
"Just bring him something in case he decides he wants to eat. Ahhh, if he wants food prepared for his son, he should deliver it himself."  
  
This young and frustrated guard didn't even see her. She was separated from him by a case of first aid kit and other tools for isolation patients. It looked like Bombrush was trying everything he could to help out Bloodshed.  
  
"Damn it, I've gotta stay up longer just to watch some food get cold and go to waste? Why can't they get someone else to do this?"  
  
Clearly, this guy just wanted to go home instead of being worked overtime for someone who didn't want to eat.  
  
...That was her chance.  
  
"Hello."  
  
Now it was the guard's turn to jump. "W-What, w-who are-?"  
  
"One of the part-timers. They called me in. Someone in night shift had called out." Thornstriker tried to keep her voice pitch low so it wouldn't be as noticeable that she was a girl.  
  
"Again?" This guard was too tired to care or notice, but it worked. "No wonder I'm stuck on isolation duty again!"  
  
"That must be why Lugnut sent me here to relieve you." Thornstriker didn't know of Lugnut's habits when it came to security, but it was worth a shot. "He says he can't work you any longer without do more paperwork, so I'll be taking your duty and someone else will double with mine."  
  
"Really?" the young man looked both relieved and angry. "Fucking big lug wants to work me to the bone until he can't. Bet he's gotten into trouble for making do so much overtime, that fucker."  
  
"I know." It was all she could say to make the man happy as she took the tray. Then she had an idea. "Could you open the door for me? I can't reach my badge with this."  
  
"No problem." He swiped the card through, opening isolation to Thornstriker. "Just... don't be too creeped out by the guy. He's a real wreck. It's why no one stays in there with him for that long."  
  
"Got it." And with a nod of her head, she walked in as the door shut behind her.  
  
It took all of her will power to not just collapse. Primus, her heart had been beating practically a thousand beats a second! She didn't think that that would actually work... Especially since it should have been pretty obvious that she wasn't "guard material." She was only 5'1 with a petite figure. Even in this sort of clothing, it was easy to see.  
  
Oh well, at least they had bought it... They were probably just tired, so that had to have been why they didn't question her. It was one-thirty in the morning and they had probably been here for a while. Of course they would be tired.   
  
She was glad that they were since it worked in their favor.  
  
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she walked down the hallway. She had never been in isolation before... Looking around, she could see that most of the cells were unoccupied. There was almost a haunting feeling as she walked down, a small shiver running through her. This was where experiments were confined... She had heard horror stories of some of them going mad...  
  
She shook her head of such thoughts. No, she couldn't focus on that now. She needed to think of Bloodshed. She needed to keep walking and find Bloodshed. Maybe even get the poor creature to eat and try to clean him properly. She didn't know if he had been cleaned yet... From what the guards had said, they seemed to view it as a chore. A rather risky one at that.  
  
She supposed she could understand them a little. Bloodshed had almost killed a scientist today...  
  
She was reaching the end of the hallway. She could hear soft breaths and huffs just a few doors down, making her body stiffen up as her grip tightened around the tray. That... had to have been Bloodshed. She didn't know of anyone else in isolation but him.   
  
Her heart started to race again. Was she scared? She didn't think she was... Was she nervous? She wasn't sure. She did know that there was an anxious feeling in her chest, one that she couldn't control as she grew closer and closer to the door.   
  
She knew that she would have to be quick. Once she swiped her brother's card, she knew she would have to enter quickly. Once the system read that Airstream was the one in Bloodshed's cell, who knows who would be alerted? Airstream wanted Bloodshed dead and she didn't doubt that the head security believed he would try to sneak in to kill him.  
  
She knew that once she was inside, no one would dare try to go in. They were too frightened of Bloodshed... And if he was still protective over her, then he would kill anyone if they tried to separate them again. Primus, he had almost killed people the other attempts...   
  
Finally, she stopped in front of it, looking inside. Sure enough, there he was, curled up in a small corner of the room. Primus, he looked like he had lost weight... She had to bite her lip to keep herself from crying. This was her fault. Even if Bombrush said it wasn't, she couldn't help but to blame herself.  
  
She had been in charge of Bloodshed for five years now... She knew that he was more than an experiment. That he had feelings and emotions deeper than an animal would have. She should have known his feelings. She should have known better than to act so carelessly around him! She supposedly understood him more than anyone, excluding Bombrush... And yet, it was like she knew nothing about him at all.   
  
Thornstriker swallowed as she reached for her brother's card, hand trembling a bit. She could turn back now. If she didn't think she could do this, she could turn back now and expose herself. She didn't know if she would get fired or not... She doubted it, considering Megatron himself had said she was one of the best scientists in the facility.   
  
But she couldn't do that. Bloodshed... needed her. If she didn't do something, he would wallow in his depression and die. She couldn't let that happen.  
  
She  _wouldn't_  let that happen.  
  
As fast as she could, she slid her brother's card down, the door light turning green to indicate that the door was unlocked. She quickly opened it and stepped inside, the door slamming and automatically locking behind her.   
  
She just stood there for a few moments, gripping the tray tightly as she stared at Bloodshed's back, who had yet to turn around. Did he not recognize her scent? Well, she was wearing clothes that weren't only old, but had also belonged to someone else.   
  
She gently set down the tray and moved it out of the way. Swallowing, she took a step forward. Bloodshed twitched, head turning ever so slightly. She froze up in fright when she saw his eye glare murderously at her. He still didn't recognize her? Well, she was wearing her hat...  
  
She took another step forward, reaching for her hat. The action only caused Bloodshed to growl, body slowly turning to crouch into a defensive position. She stiffened in fright, voice caught in her throat with her hands froze in the air.   
  
That only seemed to make the hybrid more agitated. His back hunched up more as his teeth pulled back even more to show his sharpened canines.  
  
Oh Primus... maybe this was a bad idea. She had to let him know it was her. "B-"  
  
Too late.  
  
The human-tiger hybrid sprang, pouncing on her and knocking her back to the ground. She opened her blue eyes to stare into his dark, wide red ones that glared down at her, lips reared back as he growled menacingly down at her.  
  
It was luck on her part that the force of the pounce was enough to knock her hat off that allowed the hybrid to finally see her face.  
  
She didn't think she had ever seen him like this. One second he was ready to tear her throat out, then he was suddenly frozen... in fear.  
  
Almost as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.  
  
This when she finally found her voice, albeit a bit too late. "B-Bloodshed?"  
  
It was like he had been electrocuted. The hybrid jumped off her as soon as his name left her throat, crawling (or more like back-pedaling) into the corner he had just been in as he stared at her like she was a monster.  
  
"B-Blood-?" Thornstriker got up to her knees. "Bloodshed?"  
  
He didn't respond. Still curled up in the corner, his eyes wide and afraid, he could only mutter incomprehensible words, nothing she could understand.  
  
Maybe he was having delusions? Hallucinations? There was no telling what his hunger strike had to have been doing to his mind.  
  
"B-Bloodshed. It's me." She gentled shuffled forward on her knees a bit closer to the experiment. She had to reach him somehow. "It's Thornstriker. Do you remember me?"  
  
She didn't expect a response, at least not a verbal one. But not even a nod or a shake of the head? He was just staring at her.  
  
"I-I'm one of the scientists. T-The people who take care of you? And looked you over to make sure you're okay? Do you remember-! Do you remember when your fingernails were getting infected and we had to check it out? I was there. Remember?"  
  
He should have remembered it. They had to restrain him to check under the fingernails to find the cause of the swelling and pus (ingrown nail problems, taken care of by changing nail trimming to weekly instead of bi-weekly) and she was the only one who could get him to uncurl his fingers so they could examine him.  
  
She released her breath when he nodded. Thank god, he was starting to-  
  
"Th-Th... Thorn... striker?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"T-Thorn-?" Bloodshed slowly moved away from the corner to look more closely at her. At this point, they were about three, maybe two feet apart. "Thorn... striker?"  
  
"Y-Yes..." Great, but what else could she say? She didn't know how much time she had and she had to get him to snap out of his depression. "I-I heard you... you weren't feeling well, so I came to see you."  
  
Still nothing. Bloodshed just continued to stare at her with wide eyes, even though they were so close... She knew that he at least knew that it was her. She was the only person he wouldn't attack.  
  
What she didn't know what the internal turmoil going on his mind. Thornstriker was here. Sitting now even a yard away from him. But that couldn't be... She was supposed to never come back. He had frightened her. He had made her cry. She hated him and wanted nothing to do with him. That... was what the white-haired man had said.   
  
But if she hated him, why was she here?  
  
"Th-Thorn... Thornstriker..."  
  
She could only nod. Primus, she wished she understood what the other was trying to say... But all he seemed to be able to say was her name. And maybe a few other things, but for now, he was only saying her name.   
  
"Yes, Bloodshed, it's me." She moved forward on her knees to be just in front of him and gently seized the sides of his face. "I'm here... I was worried about you."  
  
He said nothing.  
  
But that was okay. She knew that she had at least gotten his attention. Now she just had to hope that she could convince him snap out of it, to know that what her brother said wasn't true. That she wasn't going to abandon him.  
  
"... Airstream said something mean to you, didn't he?"  
  
No response.  
  
"... He said that I hated you. That I wasn't coming back. Right?"  
  
The hybrid flinched at the words, fear apparent in his eyes.  
  
She shook her head, shushing him as she stroked his cheeks. "No... No, Bloodshed, that isn't true, all right? What my brother said to you is not true. I do not hate you. I am coming back."  
  
Bloodshed just stared at her, processing what the beautiful female had just said. Not hate? Coming back? But... But she had cried. She had been shaking. That white-haired man who hated him had said so. And he was always so close to this female...  
  
"Please, Bloodshed, please believe me," she begged. "My family and friends were just worried about me. I was with you for two weeks and they were worried... I'm sorry I was gone. I was told I had to leave for a little bit, but I was going to come back."  
  
"... Sc-Sc-"  
  
Her eyes widened. He was trying to say something? She gently stroked his cheeks, silently encouraging him to continue, hoping that she would be able to understand him.  
  
"B-Bu-Butt... Thornstriker... sc-sc-scar-scared..."  
  
It took her a moment before she realized what he was trying to say. He was pointing out that she had been scared when he had tried to mate with her. Well... He wasn't wrong. She had been frightened at the time. But she wasn't scared now. She knew Bloodshed hadn't been trying to hurt her.  
  
"Yes, I was, but that does not mean I hate you," she explained. "Even though it was scary, I do not hate you, Bloodshed."  
  
"H-Ha-Hate?"  
  
"No, no, I don't." She moved her head forward to press her forehead against his. "I... You're my friend."  
  
"F-F-F...end?"  
  
"Friend."  
  
"Fffrr... end?"  
  
"Fr~end."  
  
"Fr~end?"  
  
"Yes. You're my friend."  
  
"Friend?" Bloodshed asked again. "What... friend?"  
  
"It's…" She had to remember he had only be taught so much when he was younger. "You are my... special person."  
  
"Friend?"  
  
"Yes. You are someone I care about a lot, Bloodshed." Thornstriker leaned back as her fingers stroked his cheeks. "I would never leave you."  
  
"Thorn... Thornstriker... stay?"  
  
"Yes." She could see what she had seen before that day she was separated from him. What he had had in his eyes for a brief moment.  
  
Hope. He was back. Bloodshed wasn't going to die.  
  
...But he still had to eat something if he had only been on IV and fluids for the past week.  
  
"I-I brought you some food... some-" She turned to the tray she had brought in. "Oh, some chicken soup, your favorite! I thought you might want it since you weren't feeling good."  
  
But as she turned back to get the tray, Bloodshed's arm came out to grab her wrist. She turned back to see his eyes, fear starting to crawl into them again.  
  
"...It's okay, Bloodshed... I'm just going to go get the food. I promise to come back here, okay?"  
  
It took him a minute to finally nod and let go, his eyes never leaving her as she quickly grabbed the tray and came back.  
  
Sitting Indian style, she placed the tray down and got a spoonful of soap. "Open up."  
  
He complied, letting her put that much needed food into his mouth and into his starving stomach.


	4. Chapter 4

The two guards stationed in the isolation room nearly died of heart attacks when the head of security stormed into their office, practically breaking the door down as he glared murderously at the two.  
  
"What have you two done?!" Lugnut snarled viciously, grabbing the closest guard to him and yanking him off the ground.   
  
"M-Mister Lugnut-!"  
  
"You let Airstream walk in and didn't even bother to stop him?!"  
  
"Wh-Who-?"  
  
" _There was a memo for your two to read and it clearly stated that you were not allowed to let Airstream enter the isolation area!_ "  
  
The other guy who was not being held up by Lugnut jumped, rushing over to the desk to find a message on their computer. Indeed, there was a note that said that Airstream was forbidden to enter, a picture of the guard attached to said memo. But they hadn't seen that guy! He hadn't been here!  
  
"B-But, sir!"  
  
Lugnut turned sharply toward the other.  
  
"Air-Airstream hasn't been here! He never came in! We swear!"  
  
"Then why did our system pick up Airstream's card being used for Bloodshed's room?!" a loud, angry female voice boomed, Strika storming into the office as well. The two guards thought that they were both about to die as the two security heads glared down at him.  
  
"B-But it wasn't him!" the one in Lugnut's grip shrieked. "Th-The part-timer-!"  
  
"Part timer?" Lugnut repeated, throwing the guard down onto the ground. "The only two who are on duty are-"  
  
"H-He said he was clocking in for Max!" the other insisted. "H-He came in and delivered the experiment the food-"  
  
"No one was supposed to be clocking in for anyone!" Strika shouted.   
  
"B-But that's what Max said-?"  
  
 _"I don't care what that idiot said! No one was clocking in for anyone!"_  Strika was quite not as strong and held such a pretense as did Lugnut, but her voice made up for a lot of that.  
  
These poor guys. They had been doing their job when Max had told them that and now they were getting the hard end of it because of Max, who had conveniently clocked out for the night. What were they to do?  
  
"S-Sir... Ma'am, please..." the guy who had been dropped was on his knees tried to reason with them, "I-It was what Max said. A-And we didn't get any alerts about his using his badge anywhere else near here! W-We didn't know!"  
  
"What-!"  
  
"Sir!" Another guard ran into the office. "Airstream's badge was only registered at the isolation units. It wasn't used anywhere else."  
  
"The hell-!"  
  
"But that's impossible!" Strika turned to the guard. "He's on the red list; he can't even swipe into the private bathrooms without anyone knowing!"  
  
"Y-Yes ma'am, but further time records show that Miss Thornstriker's badge was used at one of the smaller gates on the other end about an hour ago."  
  
"Miss Thornstriker?"  
  
"Damn it!" Lugnut punched over one of the cabinets in the office, startling the overnight guards to back up further into the office wall. "He must have used his sister's badge to get in and gone through the base where the badges aren't used! Airstream's been here long enough that he knows of such a route!"  
  
"T-Then the experiment?" one of the night guards asked nervously.  
  
"...It's been twenty minutes since Airstream's badge was used to clock in. At this rate... probably one or both of them are already dead."  
  
Both night guards could feel their souls draining out of their bodies. Even though this experiment had caused a lot trouble the past month, it was still an important experiment to the higher ups. Heck, it was one of the higher up's own son that was in there! They had been told to keep it alive as long as best they could, so nothing would have come of them if it had died on its own.  
  
But to let a vengeful man sneak in and execute it? Primus, their lives were ruin. They were already dead.  
  
Everyone else just ignored the guards who were moping against the office wall. "What do we do?" Strika asked.  
  
Lugnut thought it over for a moment. "We still need to get in there to see what the situation is. If someone's still alive, we'll need to get them out and to treatment."  
  
"But what if it’s Bloodshed?" Strika knew Airstream was a valued employee, but the experiment was important... and also unstable. "He nearly killed a scientist yesterday! Will they allow us to try and help him when he broke out his restraints before?"  
  
The male head of security gritted his teeth as he scratched his head hard. Even though Bombrush had tried to order more restraints and a restart of the IV fluids, Shockwave had overridden his orders. The director and head of the science department was a very logical man and didn't see the need for more restraints when the subject obviously didn't care about being helped. He had even said some time in isolation would be the determining point of whether the experiment could live or not.  
  
...The man was one creepy son of a bitch, even though his methods did work out for the best most of the time.  
  
"Call Mr. Shockwave," he directed at the guard who had come to give them the report. "Give him a report of the situation. Me, Strika, and these two idiots are going to see what's happening in isolation."  
  
"Yes sir!" The guard went to the office phone to call the head of science while the heads of security dragged the two pale-faced guards with them into isolation to, hopefully, save at least one life tonight.  
  
The four of them listening quietly for any sort of sound that would be able to tell them if anyone was alive. They didn't hear any sounds of pain, but they weren't sure if that was a good thing or not. Were they both lying on the floor dead?    
  
Lugnut prayed that Bloodshed was the one who was still alive. Even with his weak condition, it wasn't unlikely that he had killed Airstream. Though the guard was stronger than any of the scientists, Bloodshed was a tiger-human hybrid; he was much stronger than the average human.  
  
Still, if Bloodshed had managed to kill him, he could only imagine that the creature was on high alert and ready to kill anything that came near it. He was glad that Strika had brought the tranquilizer gun with her - they were probably going to need it.  
  
But, in the back of his mind, he feared the worst. If Bloodshed was dead... There was a lot of money invested into him. Not to mention that his father was one of the directors. He could only imagine what Bombrush would do if Airstream had killed his son. It would be disastrous for the hybrid project altogether as a lot of research and data had been put into Bloodshed.   
  
But if Airstream was dead... One of the reasons why both Airstream and Thornstriker were so valued here was not only because they both did great work, but their grandparents were two of the people who helped found the place. They were also regular donors and if Airstream had died... He didn't doubt that they would cease donations, which would be detrimental to the entire facility.   
  
Primus, why did that idiot have to go there?! Did he not realize the consequences of his actions?! Besides, his sister was fine! The experiment didn't do anything to her... Though he seemed to have disliked the hybrid even before that had happened.   
  
"I hear him breathing."  
  
Lugnut glanced at Strika as she said that, listening in as well. That was definitely Bloodshed's breathing... But they didn't hear anyone else's.  
  
He swallowed. Shit... Airstream... was dead. He had to have been dead.   
  
He signaled to the group to keep quiet, moving closer to the door. Slowly, not wanting to alert the creature inside, he peeked into the room through the small window to see what had happened.  
  
The head security guard was stunned to find no signs of blood and any dismembered body parts on the floor. He could see Bloodshed in the far back corner, the tray of food off to the side... and finished. His eyes widened. The creature had eaten? Impossible! The hybrid was on a hunger strike!  
  
Looking closer, he could see that he was holding something... No, someone. He had his arms wrapped tightly around the person, holding them against his chest in his lap. Lugnut couldn't see their face, but they were wearing a guard uniform, which only confused him more. Did Airstream have an accomplice?   
  
But where was Airstream if he wasn't in here?  
  
Even though his mind was screaming at him that something was wrong and that he should wait for backup, Lugnut's gut told him to look inside and find out just what the hell was happening in there.  
  
"Strika, you and the others stay back."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm going in to assess the situation. Keep back and ready to be back-up."  
  
"But Lugnut, I'm the one with the tranquilizer! Shouldn't I go first?"  
  
He shook his head. "From what I can see, Bloodshed is calm at the moment. And I can't see Airstream..."  
  
"But what if he attacks you?"  
  
"I'm hoping not. And I'm hoping he doesn't injure the person with him."  
  
"With him? Isn't it-?"  
  
"It's not Airstream; it's someone else." Lugnut moved to the door and got out his badge. "It doesn't look like a hostage situation... but I can't be sure."  
  
"Should we wait for more backup?"  
  
"Strika, it's been twenty minutes since Airstream and this other guy went in there! Who knows what could happen if they're left in there longer!"  
  
"...Alright. But I'll be right behind you ready to hit Bloodshed with this." She patted the tranquilizer gun.  
  
"Alright." Lugnut gripped the isolation unit door handle. "I'm going in."  
  
The group held their breath. And with a swipe and a green light, Lugnut, with more agility than his hulking figure gave him the look for, ran into the room and shut the door behind him.  
  
He kept his head low, his own weapon trained on the young experiment and looked around the room quickly. No Airstream... just Bloodshed and this unknown guard. And a tray clean of any food on it.  
  
Something was very wrong here. Something was very wrong. There was no Airstream despite the man's badge being used. And Bloodshed was calm and... sleeping? The hybrid was asleep?  
  
How... someone had entered its isolation unit. He had been ignoring everyone recently, but anyone who got close to him nearly got their throat ripped out! And this intruder was practically in Bloodshed's arms?  
  
Who could have-?  
  
"Mr. Lugnut?"  
  
He nearly jumped out of his skin as the guard spoke... or rather, the female guard spoke. Wait... where had he heard that voice before?  
  
Lugnut took a good look at the guard who had stirred and turned to him... revealing them to be none other than Miss Thornstriker, Airstream's little sister!  
  
"Ah- Miss Th-?"  
  
"SSSHHHH!"  
  
He shut his mouth quickly as Thornstriker brought up a finger and shushed him, both turning to Bloodshed who had stirred.  
  
To their luck, the boy had not woken up, instead bringing Thornstriker closer to him and snuggling into the top of her head.  
  
"...Miss-?"  
  
"I'm fine," she whispered softly. "Can you leave us alone until morning?  Bloodshed is really tired and I don't want to agitate him just yet."  
  
"But-"  
  
"It's okay. He won't hurt me." She allowed the snuggling to bring her further into the experiment's lap. "When he gets up, I can help escort him back to containment, if that's approved by the higher ups. But I want a chance to talk to him before I have to leave him."  
  
Lugnut had no idea what was happening and no idea what was going on. But since the situation was... apparently taken care of and in Thornstriker's control, he really do much else.  
  
"Ah... very well. A guard will be outside in case anything happens."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
And with a wave from the scientist, Lugnut swiped himself out and left the room quietly.  
  
"Lugnut?"  
  
He turned to look at the woman, who gave him a strange look.   
  
"You look disturbed. Did he-?"  
  
"It wasn't Airstream."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It wasn't what we thought... Miss Thornstriker is the one who snuck in using Airstream's key."  
  
It took Strika a moment before she realized what he meant. Her eyes widened as she jerked her head toward the door, unable to believe what her partner had just said. Thornstriker?! Thornstriker had been the one to slip past security into Bloodshed's isolation room?! She was supposed to be on paid leave! Strika had believed that the scientist wanted nothing to do with the creature after what it attempted to do to her...  
  
"Is she-?"  
  
"She's fine," Lugnut said. "She got him to eat and he's asleep now."  
  
Strika didn't even know what to say to that.  
  
The large man turned to the two guards, who stiffened when they realized they were being addressed. Lugnut pointed to the two of them. "You two- keep guard by the door. If Miss Thornstriker shouts, you will go in and help."  
  
The two men nodded, Strika handing the shorter, skinnier guard the gun. Oh Primus, it didn't look like they was going to get fired... or die. At least not today.    
  
Lugnut and Strika started to walk down the hallway back to the office. They were both still completely lost and confused about the whole matter. Thornstriker had snuck into see Bloodshed. Not her brother. And she had not tried to kill the experiment... She seemed to have rationalized with him and got him to start eating.   
  
But how? Why? From the reports, the hybrid had attempted to mate with her! He had kept her in containment with him for two weeks following the explosion. Airstream had certainly made it seem like she was afraid of the thing, but that certainly didn't appear to be the case at all.   
  
And how did she get him to eat? They had tried everything. Getting him his favorite meals. Injections. IVs. Hell, they had even tried force-feeding him in order to get something into his stomach. None of those options had worked. At least none of them had worked well.  
  
That Thornstriker... She certainly knew how to get the experiment to listen.  
  
Just as Lugnut and Strika entered the room, the guard was holding out the phone to them.   
  
"S-Sir, i-it's Mister Shockwave, he wants to speak with you."  
  
Lugnut huffed, walking over and talking the phone from him to put it to his ear.  
  
Shockwave must have known that he had the phone, because just as he was about to speak, the head scientist demanded,  _"Is your staff so incompetent that they can't keep one guard out of isolation?!"_  
  
As Lugnut figured, Shockwave wasn't pleased. But that didn't give him a right to insult his men.   
  
"Sir, I-"  
  
 _"I don't care at this point, just give me an update. What happened to the experiment? Did Airstream do any damage to him before he got himself killed?"_  
  
Good old Shockwave. Straight to the point and always talking about people like statistics. Yeah, the chances of Airstream going up against Bloodshed weren't that great, but he could still have some hope for the poor man.  
  
"... Bloodshed... is uninjured."  
  
 _"Oh good. I assume that poor guard was ripped apart immediately in a quick death?"_  
  
Really?  _Really?_  Couldn't he shred some decency for the hypothetically dead?  
  
"Actually, Airstream wasn't in there."  
  
 _"... I'm woken up in the middle of the night to be told that there was a potential intruder trying to murder one of our experiments and now you tell me that he wasn't in there at all?"_  
  
"Y-Yes, sir."  
  
 _"If you had already restrained him, then there should have been no need to contact me-"_  
  
"Sir!" Damn it, couldn't this guy ever shut up? Why did the boss ever put up with him? "Airstream had never entered the facility in the first place!"  
  
There was silence on the other end for a good minute.  _"...Explain."_  
  
Oh, that tone. You didn't mess around with Shockwave when he used that tone; even Lugnut knew that.  
  
"...It appears that... Airstream's sister, Miss Thornstriker, snuck into the facility tonight and used her brother's badge to get into isolation with the experiment."  
  
Another pause.  _"Miss Thornstriker?"_  
  
"Yes."  
  
 _"The same Miss Thornstriker on paid leave?"_  
  
"Yes."  
  
 _"... The reports said that the experiment had kept her contained with him for two weeks-"_  
  
"Yes sir, that is correct."  
  
 _"-And apparently tried to..._ mate _with Miss Thornstriker?"_  
  
"Uh... From what her fellow scientists said, they believe Bloodshed mistaken her fall for a sign of mating-"  
  
 _"I don't care about that at the moment. What is the situation at the moment with Miss Thornstriker and the experiment?"_  
  
Lugnut gave Strika a look. She just shrugged. "Umm..."  
  
 _"Speak up, I would like to know if I have to get dressed and come in to do damage control or not."_  
  
"She's... Miss Thornstriker is... with the experiment now."  
  
 _"...You left her in isolation with him?"_  
  
"Well, she appeared to be in no danger. She said so herself and she had gotten Bloodshed to eat and rest-"  
  
 _"Wait._ " That got Shockwave's attention.  _"The experiment... ate?"_  
  
"Y-Yes... the food had been eaten and Miss Thornstriker said so herself that she had gotten him to eat."  
  
 _"... She got him to eat?"_  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
A long pause followed.  _"What are you doing about this situation now?"_  
  
"Well." Lugnut could feel the sweat going down the back of his neck. "She said she was alright and to not bother Bloodshed and since she appeared to be in no danger, I left her in there with two guards outside with a tranquilizer in case she needed help later."  
  
Shockwave didn't say anything for a good two minutes.  
  
"Uh… sir?"  
  
 _"Well... it seems as if everything's under control."_  
  
"S-Sir?"  
  
 _"Once you clear things up, I would like for you and Strika to replace the guards you have with Miss Thornstriker and the experiment. Stay with her until I and the other directors come in tomorrow morning to discuss this. We'll move them both to the stronger containment unit in the morning-"_  
  
"Ah, sir-" Lugnut didn't know if this was appropriate, but he had to tell the other man. "Miss Thornstriker asked that we do no try to bother Bloodshed until he gets up on his own tomorrow.  She doesn't want to agitate him and she would like to talk with him before we do anything such as moving them to another unit or separating them."  
  
 _"...Very well, we'll move them both to the other unit mid-afternoon. We'll follow up on that once we learn more of the situation. In the meantime, you and Strika are to stay with her until then, understood?"_  
  
"Y-Yes, Mister Shockwave."  
  
 _"Very well. I will see you tomorrow morning."_  
  
And then dial tone. Lugnut hung up right after that and squeezed the bridge of his nose.  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"... Keep them as they are. And he wants you and me as guards for them until they come in the morning."  
  
"So..." she started as they headed back to isolation. "...We just leave her in there."  
  
"...Apparently so."  
  
There was no more room for discussion, they didn't know how or why, but they had orders to follow. Relieving the two guards of their duty, they glanced at the resting duo inside and pushed their doubts to the back of their minds.  
  
It was going to be a long night.


	5. Chapter 5

Thornstriker was the first to wake up. Giving a silent yawn, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she tried to collect her bearings. What time was it? Where was she? She didn't remember her bed being so warm... Or fuzzy.  
  
Blinking and giving a soft moan, she looked up to see that she wasn't in bed. She was lying on the ground of the isolation unit she had snuck into last night. And Bloodshed was still asleep on top of her, arms wrapped firmly around her and keeping her pressed against his chest.   
  
Right. She had snuck in to see him yesterday since she had been worried. And she had gotten him to eat... She couldn't remember falling asleep or ending up in this position, but she was just glad to see that Bloodshed was definitely looking better than he had yesterday. She was just happy she had gotten him to eat.  
  
Slowly, she attempted to sit up. But Bloodshed's grip was tight and she found herself struggling to sit up. She was able to turn on her back though and lean up on the back of her elbows, Bloodshed's arms still locked firmly around her waist.    
  
Thornstriker gave a small smile, moving one of her hands to rest on his head. He twitched a bit, but ended up pressing more against her stomach and purred. When he was sleeping and calm like this, Bloodshed was certainly a cute little creature...  
  
She let out a soft sigh. Now that he was better... She was starting to wonder how she would be able to get out of this. Bloodshed had been even more reluctant to let her out his grip than he had been when they were stuck in containment for two weeks. Last night, when she had suggested they go to sleep, he had promptly pulled her into his lap and refused to let her out. It had been a bit strange at first, but she had just decided to accept it.   
  
Still, she couldn't stay here like she did last time. But she wasn't sure how she was going to convince the hybrid that she couldn't stay, though she would come back. He was obviously terrified of the idea of her never coming back and hating him...  
  
She had to convince him that wouldn't happen. That she couldn't live with him, but she would come back to spend time with him. As she had told him, he was special to her. She wouldn't lie to him or anyone else about something like that.   
  
Moving herself to get more comfortable again, she heard the creature give a soft groan. Oh no, had she woken him up? Peering over him, she saw him twitch a bit as he moved his head, making a small whine.  
  
She rested her hands on his head and petted to keep him relaxed. He titled up his head, blinking the sleep out of his eyes as he looked up at the woman. He seemed fairly surprised for a moment, probably still thinking he was dreaming.  
  
It was a little cute, so she smiled and stroked his cheek. "Good morning, Bloodshed," she said softly. "Did you sleep well?"  
  
He didn't give a verbal response, instead just nodding his head before pressing his face against her chest, giving a soft purr as she continued to pet his head. She was glad to see that he was in a good mood. She hoped that maybe that would make it easier to talk to him about the subject of their separation.     
  
The door creaked open, making both the scientist and the experiment look up. Bloodshed tensed and glared when he saw Officer Lugnut's face, but Thornstriker was able to calm him down and shush him. "It's all right, Bloodshed, he just brought breakfast."  
  
Which was true. The head security guard was carrying a large tray, two bottled waters with a bowl of yogurt and granola for Thornstriker and a plate of eggs and sausages for Bloodshed.   
  
"I was ordered to bring you both food."  
  
"Thank you, Mister Lugnut," Thornstriker said, giving him a small smile. "You may leave it by the door."   
  
He nodded, setting the tray down. "The directors are in the middle of discussing what to do about him. It appears the Chairman came back early from his trip."  
  
Thornstriker's eyes widened. Megatron had returned? Oh no... She couldn't help but to worry a little. Megatron hardly came back early from his trips for anything and normally when he was forced back here, he was anything but pleased. She could only hope that the Chairman was at least somewhat merciful to everyone involved in this fiasco.   
  
"U-Um, how long have they-"  
  
"It's nearly nine now and the meeting had started at 7:30... So I'm afraid I can't answer."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Lugnut just nodded.  
  
Seeing Bloodshed grow more agitated by the fact that the guard was still there, she quickly cleared her throat and held Bloodshed a bit tighter than before. "U-Um, thank you, Mister Lugnut, we-we're fine now, so... So you may go..." She bit her tongue. That had probably sounded a bit rude...  
  
But Lugnut took no offense, especially considering he knew she was just concerned about his wellbeing since it was obvious that the hybrid didn't like him being in there with them; he could hear the other growling. Giving her a nod, he walked out of the room and shut the door behind him, leaving the two alone again.  
  
Thornstriker gave a small sigh and looked to the other. "Bloodshed... I understand that you don't like those people, but you can't growl at them like that."  
  
Bloodshed said nothing.  
  
Did he even understand what she had said? Oh well... Wiggling out of his embrace, she straightened out the baggy uniform before walking over to the tray and bringing it back over to him.  
  
"Come on - we both need to eat."   
  
He glanced down at the food and made a small face. Right. He was a carnivore hybrid. While she knew he would eat the sausage, she knew he would resist the eggs.   
  
She frowned. "You need to eat the eggs too, Bloodshed. Because you haven't been eating properly, the doctors want to make sure you get back to full health. That means you have to eat the eggs."  
  
He grumbled.  
  
"If you don't, you'll have to stay in here-" she gestured to the cell they were in "-even longer."  
  
He growled. He didn't want to stay here anymore. Even if the beautiful female was here with him, he hated being trapped in this padded cell that smelled like cleaning alcohol. At least in containment, they had an enclosure for him and it had more of a nature smell, which he liked.   
  
She picked up the fork and collected some of the scrambled eggs onto it before bringing it up to his mouth. "Eat."   
  
Bloodshed curled up his nose. His lips pursed together as he looked at the offending thing that wasn't meat.  
  
"Bloodshed," Thornstriker said in a motherly tone.  
  
It took a few seconds, but Bloodshed finally opened his mouth and allowed her to feed him his breakfast. Thornstriker kept her eyes on him as he chewed at the yellow, squishy balls of mush before swallowing. "See, that wasn't so bad."  
  
He glared at the pile of eggs on the tray again.  
  
Sighing, the scientist cut one of the sausages in half and held it up.  "Here you go."  
  
This one got a much better response than the eggs as the experiment happily chewed at the greasy and packed sausage in his mouth.  
  
Thornstriker chuckled. Well, at least he was eating.  
  
She could only hope the meeting was going as well as Bloodshed's breakfast was.

* * *

"How could we let such a security breach happen?"  
  
"I still say she should be disciplined!"  
  
"Don't you realize who she is?"  
  
"She could be working for a rival company!"  
  
"But Miss Thornstriker got Experiment BL-00-D783D to eat! Do you realize how much money we've spent on him already?"  
  
"There will be accusations-!"  
  
"The consequences of letting such a relationship continue-!"  
  
Meanwhile, as the giant table of directors argued over protocol and life over profit and such, the Chairman sat at the end of his table sipping on his coffee. Even though it was early in the morning, Megatron was enjoying the anarchy unfolding on the other end of the table despite the deafening tone.  
  
He was in a good mood today, so he didn't mind letting the chatter play on.  
  
"ENOUGH!"  
  
Apparently Shockwave wasn't.  
  
Still, despite his rather stoic and calm nature, Shockwave was still a force to recon with, especially when said man had been woken up in the middle of the night with threats against the facility's experiment, breached protocol, and other mishaps.  
  
And the other man on his left didn't look so well either. Megatron knew Bombrush had been stressed out after his son's break-out nearly three weeks ago, but Primus, he couldn't remember the last time he had seen his old friend look so haggard.  
  
"Bombrush."  
  
Megatron did not bother to stop Shockwave as he called out the other director. There were still answers that both he and the head of Science needed and Bombrush was the person who had them.  
  
"I understand that this whole affair involved your own son, Bombrush." He paused to look at the other tired man. "But do understand that even your relationship with the Chairman will not save you if you try to cover up anything. If you coerced or force anyone into this ridiculous feat, you will be punished for this despite the lack of consequences it caused."  
  
Bombrush rubbed his hands together. Megatron could see the other thinking hard. While he didn't think the man would lie, it would also look bad if this breach in security was because of him. His son's life or not, this had put the whole security at risk.  
  
His friend breathed in deep and let it out slowly.  "... I had gone to see Miss Thornstriker yesterday at her brother's house."  
  
Chatter started back up.  
  
"Quiet!" Shockwave still took a powerful presence in the room as the others shut their mouths. "So you admit to talking with Miss Thornstriker before last night's break-in."  
  
"Yes." Bombrush looked up as if waiting to be accused of something, but seemed relieved that Shockwave and the Chairman were willing to let him explain himself. "I had gone to see her to ask for her help."  
  
"Her help?"  
  
"... Yes. Her help. But I had gone to ask her when Bloodshed was still in the sickbay, not when he was in isolation. I had asked her to go see him. That was all. I did not convince her or help her in any way to sneak into isolation."  
  
"Why would you ask her for help? She's just-"  
  
"Because she's the only one I knew who could help my son. I'm certain you read the report about his actions towards her during those two weeks of containment."   
  
"Yes - he had forced her to stay with him before trying to mate with her since she had fallen and the experiment mistook it for a mating pose."  
  
"Did you read anything else?"  
  
"Nothing of note-"  
  
That only made Bombrush irritated. "Right, I forgot, I'm speaking to a man with as much feeling as glacier."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I understand you have no sense of emotions, Shockwave, but I didn't think you were this dense."  
  
"Bombrush, you-!"  
  
"Do you really think my son - or any experiment for that matter - would act like this with anyone for no apparent reason?!" he finally shouted, slamming his hands down on the table. "They're hybrids - they are not fully animals and they have the same emotions as we do! I get that isn't very scientific and calculable for you, Shockwave, but that's how it is!"  
  
"Your son-"  
  
"-Is in love with her! That is why I asked her for help - because she is the only one and will always be the only one to help Bloodshed through  _anything_!"   
  
Whispered chatter started up. It was impossible to believe - an experiment falling in love with a human? And with one of the scientists studying them?  
  
It wasn't that impossible; after all, Bombrush had had a relationship with an experiment that had resulted in Bloodshed. But that had been an older experiment with just a director... this was one of the younger ones... and with his own scientist. A scandal, some whispered, while others were speaking of... not-so-appropriate accusations against Miss Thornstriker herself.  
  
Shockwave was trying to keep his stoic facade, but Bombrush was one of the few who could get him to lose his composure. "... Are you trying to insinuate that your son... is in love with Miss Thornstriker?"  
  
"Oh for Primus' sake, what else could explain his actions?" Bombrush slammed his hands on the table again as he stood up to stare down the other. "He protected her from the gas explosion! He never let her out of his sight! He had defended her against anyone who tried to take her away from him! And he never attempted anything until he misinterpreted her fall for a mating position!"  
  
"Might I remind you that a man nearly got his arm ripped off in one of those attempts?"  
  
"Gah! Damn it, Shockwave!" Bombrush was starting to lose his temper now. "Is it that hard for you to understand?"  
  
"I don't see-"  
  
"He's a human-tiger hybrid! My son has had almost no schooling, no lessons on human behavior! His only experiences were during those breeding sessions where he had to go on animal instinct!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"So? SO?! What do you think he was doing with Miss Thornstriker?!  He was protecting her from others; you know, like a tiger in the wild does against other  _males_  with the female they want?"  
  
"So it was his animal instinct that lead him to want to mate with Miss Thornstriker?"  
  
"...Are you fucking stupid? Surely you've read the reports from my son's years as an experiment! Miss Thornstriker was with him since the beginning and she's always been kind to him! Isn't it possible that my son had some affections for her and when her life was in danger, his instincts react to protect her and keep her safe by his side?"  
  
"But he still tried to mate-"  
  
" _He didn't know any better!_  Damn it, the report even says so! Thirteen witnesses, including three at the time of the attempted mating, can attest that Bloodshed made no sexual moves towards Miss Thornstriker until after she fell on the ground and unintentionally assumed a mating position!"  
  
Shockwave rubbed his temple. "Bloodshed still-"  
  
"Don't you get it?!" Bombrush's face was sweating as his voice started to get hoarse. "Damn it, why would he wait until after she 'assumed' a mating position to attempt to mate with her? If it was animal instinct, why wouldn't he do it earlier?"  
  
Shockwave slammed his hand down. "Like we've established multiple times already, it's because she assumed a mating position-"  
  
"Exactly. He waited. My son waited for her to take a mating position. The breeding sessions show that if a female sees the male as a strong and worthy partner, they take such a position. Bloodshed was waiting for her to take the position, to choose him as a worthy partner for her children. He didn't do anything until he thought she made the first move!"  
  
"Bombrush, again-"  
  
"He's right, Shockwave."  
  
Everyone jerked their heads to look at the Chairman, who hadn't spoken once the entire time during the meeting. He put his coffee down and looked to Shockwave, who seemed to be stunned that the other had agreed with his friend. Bombrush sat back down slowly, a bit surprised as well. He had thought for sure he would have to argue against Megatron as well as Shockwave.   
  
"Chairman-"  
  
"Remember, I've been here longer than you have," he pointed out, leaning back in his chair. "I'm not a scientist, but even I can make an observation here and there about the experiments."  
  
"But sir-!"  
  
"They're not animals. They can feel. And I read the reports when I was flying in this morning. Forced mating isn’t exactly uncommon, correct?"  
  
"... Yes, however-"  
  
"Bloodshed kept Thornstriker with him for not a day or two, but for two full weeks. And not once did he attempt to force her, if we exclude him thinking she had given him permission."  
  
"But not all hybrids are aggressive," Shockwave pointed out. "And Bloodshed-"  
  
"-is by far one of the more ill-tempered and violent experiments we have," Megatron said.   
  
Bombrush couldn't help but feel a little insulted. He knew Bloodshed was violent, but he was still a good child... If he weren't forced to live in a cage, he probably wouldn't be so hostile all the time!   
  
Megatron seemed to notice the dark look on his friend's face, making him hold up a hand. "Let me finish before you start shouting. Yes, he is violent and ill-tempered. If he doesn't like something, he has no problems making it known. He possesses all the traits and characteristics of being an aggressive hybrid."  
  
Shockwave nodded in agreement.  
  
"Despite this, from all the reports to date I've read regarding Bloodshed, he has never been like this toward Thornstriker since the first day he met her when he scratched her hand."  
  
The head scientist said nothing.  
  
Megatron continued. "But he was just a club then and had just lost his mother, so it was understandable that he wouldn't like scientists. And even Thornstriker seemed to know that, which made her treat him much more kindly. Since then, there has not been a single report about Bloodshed attacking her or being violent toward her."    
  
"Yes, but how does-"  
  
"I'm simply saying that if he just wanted to mate with her like the aggressive hybrid he is, he would have done it already. But he hasn't. Because he obviously cares about her enough to want to protect her and mate with her when she is the one who chose him."   
  
Silence soon followed. Shockwave wasn't exactly certain on how to refute that. Yes, he was aware that the hybrid had a strong attachment toward the woman, but love? That just seemed so far-fetched, especially for a hybrid like Bloodshed. When they had tried to breed him with other females or try to give him a mate, he seemed so... disinterested. Sometimes down right angry at the idea of being made to be with the females.   
  
Why would he want to be with some human woman over a genetically well-matched female hybrid? Thornstriker, while incredibly intelligent and pretty, was weak with an overly-sweet and caring personality. She was a poor choice in a mate for someone like Bloodshed. He needed a strong female, much like their leopard-hybrid Nebula.   
  
Though, when they had attempted to mate them, they ended up fighting and nearly killing each other... Though somehow now they seemed like they were on friendly terms, which seemed highly illogical.   
  
"Now, I'm sure we're all begging the question... What shall we do about them?"  
  
Bombrush blinked, looking to the other. "Megatron?"  
  
"You say that we should punish Thornstriker and her brother... But I personally don't see why we should."  
  
"Sir, they breached security and broke into the isolation unit!"  
  
"Only Thornstriker did."  
  
"She used his card though!"  
  
"If you're implying that he gave it to her, then you're a moron." Megatron pulled out a file and tossed it down on the table. "These reports clearly show how much Airstream loathes Bloodshed - why would he give his sister his card to see an experiment he despises?"  
  
"Well, Airstream tried to kill the experiment-"  
  
"But he didn't and he has already been punished for his protocol breach as well as been put on surveillance."  
  
"W-Well, that still leaves the woman!" one of the directors insisted. "Miss Thornstriker still breached security-"  
  
"And saved an experiment's life that would have been detrimental to the facility. A lot of money has been invested into him, remember?"  
  
"Ah, yes-"  
  
"And let's not forget that she did expose several flaws in both the facility and the security. She showed weak points on the outside, exposed a fatal flaw in the facility's layout that had her easily walk through most of the facility without a badge or being stopped simply by being in a guard outfit, an old one mind you, as well as how bad overnight guards can be fooled with a bit of fibbing from a young woman in a ill-fitted guard outfit."  
  
Coughing filled the room. No one really wanted to admit that the facility had gotten too lax to the point where a small and weak woman could easily work her way deep into the facility without even being suspected and get right into the cell of an important experiment with little difficulty.  
  
"If anything, Miss Thornstriker has demonstrated just how sloppy we've gotten. We should be glad all that's come out of this is just embarrassment on our part and one of our biggest experiments now doing much better than before. I'm sure we can all agree that this is a much better outcome than others, right?"  
  
It took a moment for the other directors to nod and agree, Shockwave included.  
  
Bombrush could have sworn Megatron looked as if he was smiling. But it was still hard to tell and Megatron kept his face straight as he stood up.  
  
"Shockwave, we've finished fixing Bloodshed's original cell, right?"  
  
"Ah, yes, it's been finished recently, Chairman. We only need to remove the few construction materials left and then disinfect-"  
  
"Excellent." Megatron moved to grab his files and coffee. "I want Bloodshed moved back there today."  
  
"S-Sir, you can't be-!"  
  
"I believe we can all agree that Bloodshed will do much better recuperating from his, ah, depression in his home unit rather than isolation. So once he's in a better mood, I want him moved back there before tonight."  
  
"Y-You mean-?" Bombrush thought his knees would fall out from under him in relief, even though he still tried to get up.  
  
"Bloodshed doesn't seem to be a threat to anyone at the moment, not with Thornstriker with him. So long as we don't try anything stupid, I don't see a problem moving him back to his original containment unit."  
  
"...Of course, Chairman," Shockwave submitted, never one to go against the Chairman even if he didn't fully agree with it.  
  
"And when you get the chance, please inform Miss Thornstriker that I would like to speak with her in my office."  
  
"But Megatron, she's-" Bombrush hesitated. Even though he could imagine Thornstriker's last twenty-four hours to be rather hectic and all, would that be enough to convince Megatron to give her some time to recuperate before possibly being interrogated by the Chairman himself?  
  
"... If she needs to refresh herself after we move Bloodshed, let her use the facilities to her heart's desire. If she needs more time still, I'll speak with her first thing tomorrow then."  
  
"Chairman-"  
  
"That will be all. You are all dismissed."  
  
No one could or would stop the Chairman as he left the conference room to head back to his office. Everyone bowed their heads as Megatron closed the door behind him.  
  
It took a few moments before everyone gathered their things to leave. Despite last night's events, they all still had things to do today. After all, the facility wasn't going to run itself despite being broken into last night.  
  
Bombrush was one of last two there, along with Shockwave.  
  
"Bombrush."  
  
He glanced at the other who looked like he was ready to collapse. Primus, how much rest had this man gotten last night?  
  
"I will obey the Chairman's orders... but for everyone's sake, you'd best hope your son doesn't make the Chairman look like a fool in the end."  
  
Bombrush nodded as the other stormed out. Of course, despite his cold and detached character, Shockwave respected the Chairman and did everything for Megatron's sake.  
  
He also hoped for the same. Not just for Megatron or facility. He had nearly lost his son twice already. He didn't think he could handle it again.


	6. Chapter 6

Bloodshed was sitting on the floor, watching the beautiful woman converse with the guard, who had returned to tell her something. She looked happy with the news, nodding and smiling... Though he did see her pale a bit when the guard mentioned something about "the Chairman," whatever that was.  
  
He was still in shock. She had come back... She had really come back. She had said that... he was her friend. A special person. Was that what mates called each other in the human language? Friends?   
  
Did that mean that she still wanted to mate with him? That she still wanted to have his cubs? He wasn't sure, but he wanted to know... She was so beautiful and perfect and kind. And she had chosen him, didn't she? She had also found him to be the perfect mate, as he did her. It wasn't like with those scientists and the forced couplings. She wanted to be with him...  
  
She had said so herself last night.  
  
"Thank you, Mister Lugnut."  
  
He perked up when he saw the giant human leave, closing the door behind him. Good; the ugly man left. Now it was just the two of them, as he preferred it.   
  
Thornstriker gave a small sigh as she walked back over to the hybrid, sitting down in front of him. Well, at least Bloodshed was being moved back into his unit today... She didn't want him being here any longer than necessary. According to Lugnut, they were just cleaning up a few remaining things out of his enclosure that had gotten in during the explosion.   
  
Still... She wouldn't lie. She was a bit terrified of going to see the Chairman. She had actually never met the man and had only heard about him from others and had seen him a once or twice when he came into the containment area. The man certainly had a frightening and powerful aura... And he had made a woman cry once by telling her that she was doing a poor job with her reports.   
  
She could only imagine what he wanted to say to her. Primus, he was probably going to yell at her, no doubt furious over what she had done. She didn't regret it though, considering she had managed to help Bloodshed... She could only pray that she wouldn't be fired.   
  
"Th... Thorn... Thornstriker?"  
  
She blinked, looking up to see Bloodshed giving her a concerned look. Right, she had forgotten where she was... She had to be positive around him and not worry him about her personal affairs.   
  
She smiled, reaching up to pat his head. "Don't worry, everything's all right. The directors said that they have decided to move you back into your enclosure today. You don't have to stay here in isolation much longer."  
  
"Go... back?"  
  
"Yes, you're going back to your original cell."  
  
"No… is... isolation?"  
  
"No more isolation as long as you eat all your food. That includes eggs."  
  
His face soured a little bit.   
  
It made Thornstriker giggle, patting his head some more. Even though he was a hybrid that could easily kill her with his own two hands, he was actually very sweet. And quite cute.   
  
"Thornstriker... come with."  
  
She blinked. "Eh?"  
  
"Come... with... me. Live... with... me."  
  
It took her a moment to realize what he was saying. Oh... Oh, right. She hadn't told him yet. Biting her bottom lip, she took her hand away from his head and pulled it back into her chest. She had to explain herself... But she needed to be careful about this. If she didn't explain it properly, he would misunderstand and they would go back to square one.  
  
"No... No, Bloodshed, I cannot live with you."   
  
As she expected, he did not take it well. His eyes went wide and he sat up, yet made no attempt to grab her.  
  
"N-No? Thornstriker... no... live... with... me?"  
  
"Bloodshed." She needed to get him to understand why she couldn't. "I... can't stay with you."  
  
"Thornstriker..." Bloodshed finally reached out, his hands shaking slightly. "Thornstriker... hates... me?"  
  
"No, no, Bloodshed, I don't hate you." Primus, he was starting to get agitated! He was taken this the wrong way. "Bloodshed, you're my friend. I told you that before, right?"  
  
"F-Friend." His face looked solemn as he pulled his hands back, still shaking slightly. "B-But Thornstriker... no stay? Thornstriker... no live... with me?"  
  
"I-" How could she get him to understand that she couldn't live in his enclosure with-! Oh! That was it! "I-I have my own enclosure."  
  
"Thornstriker... has... enclosure?"  
  
"Y-Yes. I-I have my own place... so I must live there."  
  
Bloodshed blinked. Oh... Yes, he remembered. When he had to mate with those other females, they only stayed together for a while. They had to go back to their enclosures afterwards. Did all the humans have their own enclosures to go back to? Maybe that was why they didn't stay all the time.  
  
"T-Thornstriker... go back... to enclo...sure?"  
  
"Yes, but I promise to come and see you every day like always."  
  
So she couldn't stay with him. That made Bloodshed sad, but at least she would come back to see him every day. After he protected her after that loud boom where she stayed with him, she hadn't come back. He still didn't know why she hadn't come back even though she said she didn't hate him.  
  
Maybe it was that white-haired guard who was keeping her away.  
  
Thornstriker tensed up when she saw Bloodshed's face grow dark. "Ah, Bloodshed?"  
  
"Thornstriker... no stay...  away... no go?"  
  
"No, Bloodshed." Thornstriker moved closer and brought him into a hug. "I won't be going anywhere. I promise."  
  
It was enough for the hybrid. Returning her hug, the experiment snuggled into her hair, smelling her scent and breathing it in. He wished she could live with him, but if she had to return to her own enclosure at the end of the day, then he would have to simply enjoy the time she could stay with him.  
  
...Maybe once they started mating, then she could live with him and have their cubs.  
  
A knock interrupted them before the door opened. It was the ugly man again with the ugly woman.  
  
"Miss Thornstriker, do you need another minute?"  
  
Thornstriker leaned back to look up at Bloodshed. "Bloodshed, do you want to go back to your enclosure now?"  
  
Bloodshed hesitated for a moment before he looked at the guards, then back to her again.  
  
"B-Bloodshed?"  
  
"...Thornstriker... stay... enclosure?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Thornstriker..." Bloodshed paused for a moment as if trying to find the right word. "Stay... enclosure... a bit?"  
  
It took the scientist a moment to realize what he was trying to say.  "... Do you want me to stay with you for a bit in your enclosure?  Before I have to go ho- to my enclosure?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
Thornstriker smiled. "Of course. I'll stay for a bit."  
  
Bloodshed smiled back.  
  
"So... are you ready to go back?"  
  
He only nodded. And he held Thornstriker's hand as they were escorted out of isolation back to his enclosure with ten guards including the ugly duo.  
  
Bloodshed didn't even growl once on the trip there.


	7. Chapter 7

Thornstriker ended up spending the night at the facility again on accident. She had gone into Bloodshed's enclosure, stayed with him for a while, and then went to go use the showers. She was provided with a scrub, so after she had put that on, she had gone to say goodbye to Bloodshed to head home.  
  
But she ended up staying with him a little bit and eventually falling asleep right there in his cell.   
  
Not that Bloodshed had minded.   
  
She had though. Her brother must have been panicking... To wake up to find both his badge and his sister missing? For two days as well? He must have been freaking out. She was surprised to find that he hadn't stormed into the facility looking for her.  
  
But she had to go see Megatron first. She was supposed to have seen him yesterday, but that obviously didn't end up working out... She had to wait for Bloodshed to wake up to do anything though. She didn't want to make him think wrongly by having him wake up to her not being there.  
  
Luckily, he hadn't tried to make her stay and had let her go after she promised she would be back tomorrow. Once she had left his enclosure, she was given the chance to freshen up before Strika came by to escort her up to Megatron's office.  
  
So there she was, standing in front of his door and waiting to be called in. She tried to keep herself as composed as possible, but she feared what he would say or do to her. She just had to pray that he did not fire her. If she were to be fired and never be allowed back in here again... She expected the worst from Bloodshed.  
  
A buzz ripped through the air before the door suddenly opened. She swallowed, realizing that she was allowed inside. Taking a deep breath, she slowly walked through the door, seeing the Chairman sitting at his desk, looking directly at her. Primus, she felt like she going to be eaten alive or something. He was much more frightening than any experiment she had had contact with.   
  
"Have a seat, Thornstriker."  
  
She nodded, closing the door behind her as she walked towards his desk, sitting down at the seat across from him.   
  
He said nothing at first, simply looking over her. Never had she felt so small and intimidated before... It took all of her will power to not starting shaking like a leaf in her seat, her hands gripping her knees tightly as she tried to keep herself composed.  
  
Then, he spoke.  
  
"You've certainly had a rough month, haven't you?"  
  
Not the question she was expecting, but she rolled with it as best as she could. "U-Um... I... Well, yes, but... I-I'm fine now."   
  
He smirked, making her pale a bit. "You don't look fine."  
  
"... I-"  
  
"You don't need be scared of me."  
  
She swallowed. Scared? Primus, that didn't even come close. She was utterly  _terrified_.   
  
"Though... I can see why you would be scared. You did technically break into the facility."  
  
She paled, sinking into her seat.   
  
"I must say, I did not think someone such as yourself could break into this facility and make it all the way to isolation without even being detected. You know, the only hint we had that something was wrong was that your brother's badge was used in isolation. If it had been any other badge, nothing would have been suspected until the next shift came in."  
  
Thornstriker swallowed. She was right; there was something set up to warn security if her brother ever made it to isolation.  
  
"Now..." Megatron leaned forward in his seat, his finger intercrossing as he stared her down with narrow, red eyes. "I've heard from just about everyone who's has some part in this little escapade... but I have yet to hear your side of the story. You do not mind sharing with me how you decided to steal your brother's badge and uniform, sneak into your workplace all in the name of seeing your charge, do you?"  
  
He had phrased it as a question, yes, but the passive-aggressiveness in his voice was strong. One could practically hear the order in that question.  
  
Thornstriker was going to explain either way, but at least now she knew he was interested in hearing it and not going to see her as rambling at this point.  
  
She took a big breath as she gripped her knees tight. "Well... the day before yesterday... Mr. Bombrush came by to see me while my brother was at work."  
  
The scientist looked up to Megatron as if waiting for him to ask for clarification or something else, but the Chairman merely nodded. Bombrush had told him the same as well.  
  
"I... I invited him in and when I asked why he had come, he said..." She pulled at the scrubs, revealing the skin above her ankles before she let go. "He said Bloodshed had not been doing well after I had been removed... removed from his side after the gas explosion."  
  
"I see." Megatron still did nothing. "Could you elaborate on what exactly he said about his son?"  
  
"Ah-H-He said... He said Bloodshed wouldn't let anyone close to him; it got so bad that they had to try to restrain him to clean and give him treatment... from when he had tried to escape again."  
  
"Was that all he told you?"  
  
"N-No... Mr. Bombrush... Mr. Bombrush also told me about the incident... with my brother."  
  
"The incident?" His eyebrow notched up, noting the wording of that sentence. "What incident?"  
  
"The... the one that happened about... almost two weeks ago? A-Apparently my brother - Airstream - disobeyed orders and came as back-up when they couldn't restrain Bloodshed to get him to treatment. And he... he..."  
  
"Threatened Bloodshed."  
  
"Y-Yes." Thornstriker was trying to be brave, but speaking of her brother like this was hard for her to do, especially since it involved her beloved older brother trying to murder an innocent person. "M-Mr. Bombrush told me... after they had restrained them both, my... my brother told Bloodshed... after he called out for me... he said I was never coming back."  
  
Megatron didn't do or say anything as he watched for her reactions and movement. Shaking shoulders, hands that couldn't stay still, side to side glancing.  
  
It would make anyone suspicious, but even he could see it was more her not believing it rather than lying.  
  
"Miss Thornstriker..." He waited for her to catch her breath when her head snapped up to look at him. "Answer me truthfully. Did you know what your brother had done before Bombrush had stopped by two days ago?"  
  
She bit her lip, trying to think if her brother had ever mentioned it, even just once in passing. But there was nothing; he had never told her about his attempt to kill Bloodshed. "No... No he didn't."  
  
"He never told you that he was ordered to stay away from Bloodshed? That he was warned and threatened with severe discipline for his actions or that he was being monitored by the higher ups?"  
  
"No, no.” She shook her head quickly, feeling that she was only making his case worst by the second. "H-He... The only thing he ever mentioned to me about Bloodshed... was that I shouldn't have to worry about him... and that if the director's offer to move me to a different project, take the offer."  
  
Megatron slowly nodded.   
  
Thornstriker bit her bottom lip. Did he think she was lying? He wasn't saying anything, simply staring at her... Oh Primus, she felt her legs starting to shake a bit, a wave of dread of fear coming over her. Why wasn't he saying anything?! At least he could say that he didn't believe her...  
  
Clearing her throat, she continued. "I... I didn't know what had happened until Bombrush had told me."  
  
"Yes, you said that."  
  
"... I... Um..."  
  
"I want to know why."  
  
"Wh-Why?"  
  
"Yes. Why did you decide to break in?"  
  
She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Megatron just watched her carefully, seeing fear swell up more inside of her. The woman was lucky that he was in a very good mood today; otherwise he wouldn't have been so patient. And he enjoyed seeing others frightened by him from time to time. He just hoped that she didn't start crying or wet herself.   
  
"I..."  
  
"You?"  
  
"I... Bloodshed... He is... important."  
  
"Yes, he is. We have a lot of money invested into him."  
  
"I-I didn't mean to the company."  
  
That surprised him, making him raise an eyebrow. "You don't think he is?"  
  
"N-No!" she cried, not wanting him to think wrongly and possibly make this even worse for her. "I... I didn't mean it that way... I meant that... he is... Bloodshed is important to... to me."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"I... I don't... know."  
  
That made him raise an eyebrow and lean forward, prospering up his elbows as he rested his mouth up against his balled up hands. The movement terrified her, thinking that she had made him angry because of her response. But really! She didn't know! Bloodshed... He was just special. She didn't simply see him as an experiment... She couldn't.   
  
"So why help him?"  
  
"... He... is important to me," she repeated softly, looking down at her hands. "I... I don't know why, but he is... A-And I couldn't just... let him die over a misunderstanding caused by my brother."  
  
"You saved him out of guilt then."  
  
"N-No!" she squeaked, snapping her head back up to look the Chairman. "I-I really wanted to help him! I-I understand that others just view him as an important experiment, b-but I've worked with him for five years! I-I've seen him grow up into what he is today! H-He's important to me! I-I just couldn't let him die! I couldn't...! I just couldn't...!"   
  
She felt her voice get caught in her throat, the corners of her eyes getting wet. She forced herself to calm down, trembling slightly as she tried not to cry in front of the Chairman, of all people. She was embarrassing herself with this shameful behavior, but she just couldn't stop it...  
  
"I... I only... Bloodshed is important," she said softly, feeling her throat tighten up. "T-To the facility, t-to the project... A-And to me... A-And because he's im-important... I-I had to... I-I had to try to help him. He is... he is... my friend...!"  
  
She felt her tears starting to fall, much to her humiliation. She looked down into her lap, terrified of what the other would do or say because of both her tears and her weak explanation. She was definitely going to be fired for this and she wouldn't blame him if he did... This was beyond unprofessional and embarrassing.   
  
"I-I'm sorry..." she whimpered, trying to calm herself down but to no avail. "I-I really... just wanted to help... I-I didn't mean t-to cause so much tr-trouble...! I-I only wanted to help him...!"  
  
"Are you done or do you need some time to compose yourself, Miss Thornstriker?"  
  
Tears rolled down her cheek as Thornstriker looked up at the Chairman. "I-I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry I... I can't e-explain it better, b-but..."   
  
"Miss Thornstriker-"  
  
"I-I just... I don't... I j-just want t-t-to help...!"  
  
Well, that had turned south fast. Megatron still hadn't even gotten to the point of where she explained how the hell she got past their security. He probably should have asked about her motives for saving Bloodshed at the end. Now he had to try and comfort this sobbing woman who had just saved one of the facility's most important experiments.  
  
Sighing, he got up to walk around to the woman, which only caused her to cry even harder. Having an imposing figure didn't help out in all business discussions, especially when it came to consoling.  
  
He reached to grab his handkerchief, but seeing as how hard she was crying, Megatron thought it over before moving his closet. He never really had a need for a tissue box, but with a sobbing woman in the middle of his office, now was a good time to pull it out.  
  
Thornstriker paid no attention to him as she tried to stifle her tears with her own handkerchief, not even noticing him after he had gotten up until an open box of tissues was put in front of her face. She nearly jumped seeing who was handing it to her, but took the offering and began to wipe her tears.  
  
Megatron didn't bother trying to put a hand on her to console her. It would probably only make things worse. He simply grabbed his little garbage bin, placed it next to her seat, and walked back to sit back down.  
  
Nothing was said. The office was reduced to sniffles and the blowing of a runny nose as Megatron patiently waited for Thornstriker to compose herself.  
  
At least she wasn't soiling herself, he thought, but he did give her a visual sign to move along quickly as he checked his watch at about the five-minute mark.  
  
It worked. Thornstriker, bloodshot and red in the face, threw the tissue she had used to wipe her face into the trash and turned to the Chairman again. His narrowed eyes on her gave her enough hint to not send the conversation onto another crying tangent again.  
  
"...My apologizes, sir."  
  
He waited a brief moment before shuffling to sit up straight. "So if I understand this correctly, you learned of your... important friend's state from Bombrush and then felt compelled to... help him?"  
  
"...Y-Yes sir."  
  
"Did Bombrush... convince you to try to help him?"  
  
"What-no!" She stopped, realizing what Megatron was asking her. If it seemed like Bombrush had tried to convince or bribe or even threaten her to help his son, the director would get in trouble. "M-Mister Megatron, Bombrush only told me of Bloodshed's deteriorating condition.  A-And how they were trying to save him with... with IVs and restraints...”  
  
"I understand, Miss Thornstriker." He didn't need her to start bawling again. "But did he ever ask you to go see or try to help his son?"  
  
"...No. No, he didn't?"  
  
"Are you certain?"  
  
"Yes! Yes, he didn't!  I-" She bit her lip again. "I asked him to bring me to his son."  
  
"You asked him to take you to Bloodshed."  
  
"Yes!" She nodded hard, as if Megatron wasn't understanding what she was saying. "Yes, I couldn't let Bloodshed suffer any longer! He was like this because he thought I wasn't coming back and I had to do something before he-"  
  
"Before something serious happened to him?"  
  
"Yes!  ...Yes.” Her voice softened again as she understood what was coming next.  
  
"But something did happen."  
  
"Yes." Thornstriker lowered her head. "Bloodshed... was put into isolation."  
  
"He got out of his restraints and nearly killed one of the scientists who were trying to help him."  
  
"I know," she muttered. "Mr. Bombrush got the call while he was visiting me."  
  
Megatron turned his head to the side ever so slightly. That was something Bombrush had failed to mention. "He got the call while he was with you?"  
  
"Yes... Mister Megatron…" Thornstriker recalled that terrifying conversation that she overheard. "Mister Bombrush stepped out, but I could hear him shouting. Telling them to put Bloodshed into tighter restraints... and force-feed him."  
  
The Chairman stared at her hard as he watched her movements again. "Did he ask you to try and see Bloodshed after that?"  
  
"...No," she answered. "We both knew that there was no way either one of us could go see Bloodshed in isolation... not without your permission."  
  
A nod.  
  
"As soon as he told me what had happened to Bloodshed, Mr. Bombrush left," Thornstriker continued, "He didn't say anything other than what the call had been about, I swear, he didn't ask me to try and sneak in to see his son or anything.”  
  
"I didn't think he would." Bombrush would never ask someone like Thornstriker to do something like that on their own. "But could you kindly explain to me what was the reason you had for deciding to break in and not wait for me to come back?"  
  
“I…”  
  
“You?”  
  
“I knew… you were out of state, sir. And… And I worried that… that by the time you came back… Bloodshed, h-he would have been…”  
  
“Dead?”  
  
She could only nod her head once, horrified by the idea.   
  
"You do know that I can still give verbal permission over the phone, right?"  
  
Yes... yes, there had been that possibility as well.  But that wasn't as easy as it sounded.  They had to get in touch with Chairman, which was difficult to do when the man was overseas traveling.  Then they had to get the head of security, three different directors unrelated to the incident, Bombrush, and Thornstriker together on a phone conference with the Chairman to have the verbal permission recorded.  There was no way something like that could be organized in less than a few days!  
  
"... Yes sir. But with Bloodshed having been on IVs and.... no food for so long... g-getting verbal permission with you while overseas does take some time to organize."  
  
"Hmm... You have a point." Megatron sat back in his seat as he reached over to grab at a folder on his desk. "Anyway, I would like to ask you a bit about your late-night trip. I will have to ask you at some point to write a full report on how you got to isolation from the front gate without being detected or having to use your badge, but I don't want to keep you here for too long. You've been here for almost two days, right?"  
  
"Y-Yes, sir."  
  
"I'm sure you want to go home soon?"  
  
"Y-Yes..." She wanted to sleep on her own bed and get into more comfortable clothes than these scrubs.  
  
"Very well, so just to clarify what we could determine from the testimonies, you entered at the second entrance on the west side?"  
  
A nod.  
  
"Any particular reason?"  
  
"... I thought it wouldn't be as hard getting through since nothing important was close to it. I-I used my badge hoping no one would notice I was still on paid leave."  
  
"Mm-hmm." Just as the reports said, her badge had been used there. They would have to be more careful if someone dangerous could get in just because it was on the opposite end of the experiments. "And about the guard uniform?"  
  
"I-It was one of my brother's friend's uniform. H-He was going to work here, but he found a better job elsewhere. A-Airstream had kept the spare in case the other job didn't work out."  
  
Note for security: Have all uniforms returned once employment is terminated.  
  
"S-So I brought it with me... I walked around in my usual clothes until I got close to where we keep the experiments and then changed i-in one of the locker rooms. Then I just walked around avoiding the guards until I got to isolation."  
  
"I see. We'll have to put in more secure points," Megatron mumbled to himself. "And after you had the guard swipe you in?"  
  
"W-Well, I pretended to be the guard replacing him... I-I... lied about having to do his shift because of overtime..." She gulped at the look the Chairman gave her. "B-But I was able to convince him to let me in to isolation... and then I had to use my brother's badge to get into Bloodshed's cell."  
  
"Yes." He glanced over the papers before he put them down and looked at her. "So to sum it up, you came back to this facility late at night, snuck into isolation, and managed to save one of our most important experiments from starving to death."  
  
"Uh... y-yes, that does sum it up... Mister Chairman."   
  
"Very well." He made a few notes on some of the papers before putting them down to look at the rest. "And may I ask... how did you get Bloodshed to eat anyway once you were inside his isolation unit?"  
  
"Um... well, he... I had to convince him I hadn't left and... and that I was his friend and... I managed to calm him down enough to get him to eat."  
  
He caught on to one word. "His friend?"  
  
"P-Pardon?"  
  
"You told him you were his friend?"  
  
"I-I... Bloodshed..." Thornstriker hesitated, turning her head away for a moment before she turned back. "After what my brother told him, he thought I... I was never going to come back.  He thought I hated him... I-I was just trying to calm him down."  
  
"Did you mean it?"  
  
Thornstriker jumped in her seat, eyes fixated on the Chairman.  
  
"Did you mean it when you told him you were his friend?"  
  
She didn't answer right away, her hands coming together on her lap as she appeared to think about the answer.  
  
"...Mr. Chairman... I understand the rules about... fraternizing with the experiments, but this... this isn't like that. I just... I've been on the team studying Bloodshed every since we started. Ever since he was just a child. I... I was here when his mother was killed in front of him. I was here when he came to us, cold and silent and hating all humans. I was there when he grew up. I just... He means a lot to me."  
  
Megatron didn't say anything as he watched her curl in on herself. He knew this young woman had been on the team studying Bloodshed ever since the boy had been old enough to start testing.  And from the reports, it was clear that Bloodshed had grown to favor her amongst the other scientists that worked with him.  
  
It was obvious Miss Thornstriker saw Bloodshed as more than just an experiment. More than just a test animal. She could see him as a person, as an individual with his own personality and feelings.  
  
He had had Eclipse for nearly half a year. He had seen for himself that these experiments were more than just wild beasts as what their scientists used to call them years ago. They were individuals capable of thoughts and understanding others.  
  
This was what they had needed. They had had little progress with trying to get these hybrids to co-exist with humans. The problem all along had been that no one had ever been able to see these experiments as people. Progress had been made, but it had done little to show any signs of improving.  
  
But this was a big step. Miss Thornstriker meant something to Bloodshed. And from the reports, he had cooperated and eaten when the woman was with him. He had even walked back to his new enclosure without so much as a growl!  
  
She was going to be very important in the future. He could tell.  
  
"I see," he finally spoke as he made the last few notes before organizing the papers, "I appreciate your cooperation."  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"I have all the information I need for now.  Thank you for coming and you can go home and get some rest."  
  
"W-What?"  
  
"But I would like for you to stop in sometime tomorrow to see Bloodshed.  I would rather the boy not lose it again just because you didn't come to see him for another day."  
  
"O-Of course, but-"  
  
"But?"  
  
"But... y-you're not g-going to punish me?"  
  
"No."  
  
"B-B-" Thornstriker just looked appalled as the Chairman just shrugged his answer, "But I snuck into the facility after hours!  I went into an unauthorized area and used false I.D.-"  
  
"After careful consideration of all accounts, including your impeccably clean record, the urgency to save an experiment's life and how no damage was destroyed or taken, I've decided to let you off without any punishment at this time."  
  
Thornstriker wasn't sure what to say or even do. She just couldn't believe it. She was actually being let off the hook? She wasn't going to be punished? She had thought for certain she would be deducted pay or something if they weren't going to fire her.   
  
But no. She still had her job, her pay - she was getting away with this. But she knew not to ever try this again. She had a feeling she wouldn't be so fortunate next time.  
  
She also knew not to make the Chairman repeat himself. She could clearly see that he wanted her to leave, probably having some of his own business to take care of. Not wanting to anger him and get in trouble for that, she simply nodded and muttered out a sheepish, "Th-Thank you."  
  
He shook his head. "We will see you tomorrow, Miss Thornstriker."  
  
"Y-Yes."   
  
She slowly got out of her chair while Megatron seemed to turn his attention back to some papers on his desk. She stood there for a few moments, unsure of what to do. But when Megatron didn't do anything but glance up at her, she quickly bowed her head and hurried out of the room, not want to upset him.   
  
Once Thornstriker shut the door behind her, her legs almost gave out and she nearly fell to the floor. But she managed to keep herself steady and use the door for support. Primus, no wonder people didn't like going to the Chairman unless absolutely necessary. That had not only frightening, but exhausting. She just wanted to go home and sleep.  
  
But she wanted to say goodbye to Bloodshed first and tell him she would be back tomorrow. She didn't want him to be anxious about her return time and make him think wrongly. Collecting herself, she headed back to the enclosures to go say goodbye.  
  
She wasn't expecting to see Bombrush standing there at the window, watching his son pace around inside the cage, swatting at a ball inside.   
  
"M-Mister Bombrush?"  
  
He turned to face her, his eyes widened. "Miss Thornstriker? I thought you went home already."  
  
"N-No... T-The Chairman wanted to talk to me first."  
  
"Oh." He paused. "What did he say?"  
  
"J-Just that I wasn't in trouble and needed to come in tomorrow."  
  
Bombrush nodded. He knew that Megatron wouldn't punish her, but he had been worried that the intimidating man would frighten the rather sensitive girl. She wasn't like how Eclipse had been, ignorant of Megatron's dark personality and only knew him as the nice man who had food whenever she snuck into his office. But Thornstriker appeared to be fine, so he said nothing of it.  
  
They both glanced at Bloodshed, who saw that she was there. His expression seemed to brighten a little and he approached the window, pawing at it in front of her.  
  
They both gave a soft laugh before Bombrush turned to her, seeing her place her hand gently over the glass where Bloodshed's hand was. The older man let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. To think... He had thought just a few days ago he would be childless soon. And yet, this kind and wonderful woman... She saved his son. She was the reason he was still here. And she would probably be the only reason why he would stay.  
  
"Thornstriker."  
  
She looked to him.  
  
"... Thank you," he said softly, hanging his head.   
  
Her eyes widened, seeing the older man's shoulders shake. She heard him take a deep breath, as if trying to compose himself. Then he looked back up at him, tears glistening in his eyes, but Bombrush keeping them from falling.  
  
"I... owe so much to you," he murmured. "I... Bloodshed is so important to me. And... you didn't have to do this. But you did. You... You saved my son. I... I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am. If... If you ever need anything, please, just-"  
  
"W-Wait, M-Mister Bombrush, please," Thornstriker said, holding up her hands in an attempt to calm his down. "Please... Y-You don't owe me anything."  
  
"But you-"  
  
"I-I didn't do it be-because I wanted you to owe me anything," she explained hastily. "I... I just... Like you, I only wanted to save Bloodshed... Because he's also important to me too."   
  
Bombrush didn't respond.  
  
"I... I do thank you for telling what was happening with Bloodshed. I... I never would have known he was suffering unless you had told me. I... I just want to help Bloodshed. I want him to be happy... Or at least as happy as he can be here."  
  
He slowly nodded. "You have a very good heart, Miss Thornstriker."  
  
She blushed. "Th-Thank you... It's just... He's important to me too."  
  
Neither of them said anything for a few moments. Bloodshed then started tapping on the glass again, making them look at the boy, who just seemed to be try to get Thornstriker's attention.   
  
She gave a soft cough. "I-I better go talk to him..."  
  
Bombrush nodded. "Take care of yourself, Miss Thornstriker."  
  
"Y-You too, Mister Bombrush." Then she walked past him and entered the enclosure, Bloodshed pushing away from the window and moving back over to the ball he was playing with earlier.  
  
Bombrush couldn't help but to give a soft laugh. He was waiting for her to come to him. The boy didn't want to frighten her or overstep anymore boundaries... All for the sake of this cute, petite, young woman who he loved dearly.    
  
He couldn't help but to watch as Thornstriker approached him and started talking with him.  His son was standing next to her, talking back to her while she said goodbye.  
  
It was overwhelming for the man. To see his own child talking, standing with, communicating with a girl... it was as if he were a normal boy.  
  
Bombrush knew his son would never be able to live a normal life. But at least he had a friend to bear with this life.  
  
At least he had someone to love.


End file.
